Meeting Love, Finding Despair
by Auria Quis Malice
Summary: When Seifer Almasy waltzes into Quistis's life ten years after the story ends, he gets more than he bargained for. The story of age-old love, spun new again.
1. Chapter One Roses and a Poem

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

By

Quis and Auria

Chapter One

_Disclaimer: __Final Fantasy and its respective characters and locations are copyright of Squaresoft and we have no affiliation with them._

Quistis Trepe stirred her cafe late idly as she turned a page in the book she was reading. She took a sip, before realizing that it had gone cold. Sighing, she put her book down.

It had been ten years since the Second Sorceress War. Nine years ago, Quistis left Balamb Garden, a year after the war had ended. She had left SeeD for many reasons, which meant that if she stayed in Balamb, she would be faced with the deniability of her identity.

Seifer had been tried during that year before she left. He was found guilty of treason, espionage and murder. He was sentenced to ten years in jail. Quistis had sat on the panel that judged him, but she was the only one who had voted against the sentence. It was the hardest thing she had ever had to do as a SeeD.

She had moved to Timber. After the Second Sorceress War ended, Quistis had helped the resistance factions drive out the Galbadian Soldiers. In the same way that Laguna Loire, Squall's father, had been named President of Esthar, Quistis had been appointed the President of the New Timber Republic.

It was hectic, to say the least. The first thing she did was to set up a new constitution, in which all the people of Timber voted on.

That had been five years ago. The first election after the Timber Reformation, Quistis resigned as President. Even though she had won the majority again, she still resigned. She travelled to the cold north of Trabia and then to the secluded, warm and sunny Shumi Village, where she was welcomed with open arms.

She had travelled for three years after that. Wandering to the furthest locations, she didn't leave any part of the globe uncharted. In a basic sense, she was the female equivalent of what Laguna Loire had hoped to be.

For the last two years, she had been living in Esthar. As a strategist, her skills were valuable in the Esthar Army. She was the head of the Defence Operations in the Esthar Army, a job that she excelled in.

Looking up, she saw President Loire, who looked like he was relieved to find her.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Laguna?" she asked, as the older man sat down.

"Actually I've got some news for you," Laguna said, running a hand through his greying hair, "Seifer Almasy is a free man now. He was released yesterday."

Laguna lit a cigarette as Quistis pondered on his words. He was half-hoping that Quistis and Seifer would perhaps take a chance with love. Laguna knew the tragedy of losing a loved one. Raine's death was still hard on him and he wished that Quistis would be happy, for her sake.

She was surprised. "It's been a long time since I saw him," she said simply.

"True," Laguna smiled. He had expected that to be the twenty-eight year old woman's response. "I've now got to fly. Parliament," he shook his head, "Parliament is currently going crazy. I stepped outside to take a smoke."  
  


Quistis nodded politely as Laguna held up his half-smoked cigarette. A wave of emotion was flooding her. It had been so long since she had seen him, so long since she was in his arms.

So long ago, had the two of them promised to get married and start a family. She could still remember the day he turned against her, joining with the albino, Fujin and her demented boyfriend, Raijin. He had scorned her, saying that he couldn't be her knight if she was his instructor.

Knighthood. Something he had talked about for a long time. When he broke out of the disciplinary committee room, he had taken nothing but his Gunblade with him. 

Laguna sighed. He knew that Quistis would probably resist seeing Seifer, after all, he assumed that if he had tried to kill her, then there would not be this reason for him to pair them up.

All Laguna wanted for his aide was someone she could love. He knew too well the pain of losing someone he loved. Raine's death still hurt him when he thought about it, the guilt and the remorse of not being by her side as she gave birth to Squall, their lasting legacy upon the world.

He stubbed out his cigarette. Smiling at the faraway look in Quistis's eyes, he was glad that she was at least considering the idea. He stood up and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She smiled at him before he left her, sitting outside the café.

"I'll be in my office if you need me, Quistis," he said gently, as he waved goodbye.

"Thank you, Laguna," Quistis whispered, "Thank you for everything."

Smiling, she finished what remained of her lunch. Hurrying to the counter to pay, she almost spilt her latte on her crisp blouse. However, what greeted her in her office when she arrived back was a surprise.

On her desk she found a vase of pure red roses. A card was attached to the roses, saying who they were from.

_You are an angel in my life_

_The giver of gifts and hope_

_You seem to always be smiling_

_No matter how hard it is to cope_

_I will always love you_

_Now and forever_

_I'll be your king_

_Evermore and forever_

_Your King_

Quistis gasped as she read the card, the familiar writing caught her eye. It was Seifer's. Her eyes glistened with tears unshed, threatening to spill at the slightest act of emotion.

She sniffled as she reached for a tissue; her hand shook as she blew her nose. Her entire body seemed to have gone into a state of disbelief and shock. Finally, she walked around and over to the window, pulling back the curtains to reveal none other than Seifer Almasy himself.

An expression that could only be described as shock registered on Quistis's face. Seifer grinned at her, with that arrogance she had loved.

"Hello, Quistis," he said.

_A/N….This is the first chapter was written by Quis….Lexi, aka Auria will do the next one._


	2. Chapter Two A Thousand Pieces of Gold

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

**By**

**Quis**

**Chapter Two**

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and its respective characters and locations are copyright of Squaresoft and we have no affiliation with them.

Seluna Armanti was not one to be kept waiting. Tapping her foot impatiently as she waited outside Laguna Loire's office, she looked very annoyed. To be blunt; Seluna was not what one would call pretty, but she had a wholesome air about her that reminded the president very much of his dead wife, Raine.

"Ms. Armanti?" Kiros asked as he bowed deferentially to the woman, "Laguna is free now, please follow me."

Seluna smiled warmly at Kiros as she followed him into Laguna's cluttered office. In all hopes, she hoped to have the backing of the Esthar Army should there be a war that Timber was plunged into. She had won the election after Quistis's resignation as Timber President.

"Laguna, I trust that you are well," Seluna said as she greeted the aging man.

Laguna was in his fifties but he did not look a day over forty. One of the good things that being the president of Esthar entitled him to was the free medical treatment by Odine, the crazy scientist who had developed so many of the gadgets he relied on.

He smiled as he saw Seluna enter. "I am," he said, as he pecked her cheek in a polite greeting. "Kiros, would you be so kind as to show Ms. Armanti the plans?"

Kiros nodded, winking only slightly at Seluna, who blushed momentarily as he left the room to retrieve the files. 

~In Quistis's Office~

Quistis smiled gingerly at Seifer, as yet unsure as to if she could trust the rogue that insisted on being a knight. He did not wear what she had expected him, but seeing that there had been a space of ten years since they had met; she had assumed he would have changed.

"Is everything ok, Quistis?" Seifer asked cautiously, knowing from experience that the smile on her face meant that she did not quite trust him yet. "I'm unarmed, I'm not about to kill you."

"Seifer…You just waltz into my life ten years later without an explanation as to why you were able to gain access to my office," she said with a puckered mouth.

Seifer sighed. Quistis was the ice-queen he remembered well. Pity he had changed his views on the woman he stood in front of so quickly.

"What do you want me to say?" Seifer asked, trying to refrain from yelling at her out of frustration, "I'm sorry, I tried to kill you and your friends _ten years_ ago?"

Quistis flinched at the steel in his voice. "It's still sudden for you to show up the day you're released from prison," she said quietly, looking at his features with a studied gaze.

He was handsomer than she remembered. His hair, still the colour of ripe straw, was several centimetres below his shoulders; his eyes were sharper, too.

"So? Don't you remember anything?" Seifer was at a point where he could no longer contain his rage. "Quistis, the only reason I became a knight was to show _you_ what you'd missed out on, when you broke it off with me."

Quistis started to cry. "I'm sorry, Seifer," she said softly through her tears. "I hadn't realized you'd taken it that hard."

Seifer just held her close, allowing her to cry.

~In another place~

Seluna hesitated as she bent to sign the treaty. A part of her wondered if Timber would lose its country-town appeal if she signed over to the protection of Esthar.

"I can't do this," she whispered, tears rapidly welling. "I don't want Timber to lose its appeal."

She rushed out of the office, down the hallway into her guest suite inside the palace. She walked calmly to her bed, lying down on the covers.

_You're being a fool, Seluna Armanti,_ her mind told her, _there's no reason for you to feel threatened._

A knock on the door forced the black woman up from her bed. A small smile forced itself onto her lips as she walked to the door to open it. 

Her shoulder-length platinum blonde hair was piled high up on her head in an array of curls that fell subtly onto her face. She had warm honey-brown eyes with full, pouting lips.

Kiros Seagull stood smiling at her when she opened the door. "I hope I am not disturbing anything, Seluna?" he asked kindly.

"No, nothing…Please, do come in." Seluna said with a half-smile.

Kiros took her offer, and walked in. With his six-foot-six frame towering over Seluna's normally tall five foot nine inches, it was comical to see the giant man comforting her.

"What are you worried about?" Kiros asked softly, noting the crumpled bed linen as he walked towards the table.

"I'm scared, Kiros…Really scared. I'm scared that Timber will become what it used to be before Quistis took charge." Seluna said.

Kiros nodded, as he took Seluna's hand.  "Seluna…Look at me," he said, "Everything will work out fine, I promise you this."

He smiled at her. The beauty of the woman he was sitting in front of smiled back, nervously. Kiros took a look at her deep brown eyes, knowing he could lose himself looking into them.

Leaning forwards slightly, Kiros brushed his lips over Seluna's.

_A/N.. Be warned, the next chapter **will** be a lemon, written by the ever-talented Malice Shaw, as a favour to me, so I will have to up the rating to R._


	3. Chapter Three ENTER THE LEMON

Soft as velvet would be the best term to compare her touch with.

A lithe finger traced across his strong jaw line, mesmerizing the line it made. He was always a thin man, long and sleek, muscular, with the body of a swimmer. His eyes were dark as storm clouds, barely held in at bay and his features were chiseled mahogany, emotionless and still. There was always an aura about him, Seluna pondered, as she traced her fingers down his neck to his chest, running them across the few lines that criss-crossed in the muscle tissue before tracing them down to his stomach, and laying her palms flat.

Taking his lips from hers, Kiros smiled gently, raising a thumb to trace her cheekbone. "You are a beautiful woman." He whispered, his voice terse. When she looked away, he pressed his fingers against her cheek and brought her golden eyes to his, and smiled, the subtle curve of his lips as warm as the setting sun. "I mean this, Seluna."  
  
"You must say this to all the women you kiss, Kiros." Seluna chided sweetly. She raised her hands from his stomach and caressed his face in-between her palms, running her thumb across his temple. "Yet, maybe this time you are telling the truth?"  
  
Kiros' smile broadened, and he reached to take her hands in his. Letting his lips drift back to hers with an earnest feeling, he pressed a harder kiss to her, sending a subtle chill up her spine. As gently as the snow falls, he pressed her back with a free palm, and carressed her shoulder with the other, and he was cought off guard as her own lithe strong arms slipped around his neck and pushed against him feverishly. Pulling away he pressed his forehead against hers, their breathing somewhat erratic, as he brought his hand to stroke her near platinum hair. As she moved her head to his ear, she slipped her arms around his waist and held him, tightly, pulling him closer to her.

"I want this, Kiros." She whispered, her voice low.

Kiros was taken aback by her confession, the thought clearly on his mind yet he dared not voice it. "Are you sure Seluna?"  
  
With out answering with her voice, Seluna reached to take his hand in hers, pulling him towards the bed. Carefully, she sat down on the edge and crossed her legs, pulling her skirts over her knees. Kiros watched her uncomfortable movements and shifting, her body warm and inviting, yet dangerously to the breaking point. Careful now, he told himself, as he leaned down to her feet. She was as subtle and as beautiful as a rose; it's thorns hidden precariously within the lovely folds of its petals. When he reached out with a warm hand to grasp her knee, she did not flinch, just merely stare into his eyes, beckoning to continue.

He unlaced her boots one spindle at a time, and pulled them off slowly, giving her time to rethink. She showed no hesitation, no rethought on her actions. If she would tell him to go away, he would do so with out any hard feelings. He gazed down at her feet, noting the structure, the hard arch and the smooth ankle, and ran his fingers across the top, inciting a giggle to come from her soft pouty lips.

"Kiros," Seluna chuckled, leaning back against her palms on the bed. "What are you doing?"  
  
Kiros smiled, raising an eyebrow as he let her foot down. "Just making sure I don't end up with a broken jaw."  
  
She looked at him, a strange look in her eye. "Why would that occur?"  
  
"I admit, I've had my fair share of females beat me into a withering puddle." He spoke, a hint of laughter etching his voice. "It's an experience I would much rather not relive, if you don't mind."  
  
Seluna laughed, her voice coated with honey, smooth and rich. Pulling herself up from her position she reached to him, gripping the lapels of his shirt and bringing his lips to hers once again. His inhibition gone, he let his hand drift from her foot to her calf, noting the soft texture of her skin. She had beautiful legs, softly muscular, strong against his hand. Daringly he let his palms drift upwards against, feeling her thigh and insighting a small sigh from her against his lips, as he drifted along the smooth length. Seluna let his lips pull away from hers, down her chin to her neck, kissing an invisible line to her prominent collar bone. She closed her eyes and reveled in the sensation, her mind lost elsewhere until she heard his subtle curse.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Kiros gave her a tight smile and looked towards her dress. It was tied tightly over her body, an annoyance which she soon understood. Lifting calm fingers, she pulled at the ribbon and twine, undoing the intricate design with a twist of her fingers. Seluna looked at Kiros and nodded, motioning to his own clothing, which he deftly began to remove himself. Soon she was as bare to him as he was to her, and a sense of vulnerability occurred to her. She was offering herself to his man, which she barely knew, yet felt she had known forever. It felt right to go on, to trail upon a road she had ventured before, yet only with ones she had known for years. It felt right. it felt perfect. One glance at his eyes, and she knew he mimicked her feelings.

Carefully, Kiros pushed aside her hair, which had fallen across her bare breasts. "You are magnificent," He whispered, gazing at her nude form with appreciation. Her skin was the colour of mocha, and yet was as soft as the bed linens they rested upon. Tilting his head he resumed pressing his lips against her skin, trailing subtle kisses. Her soft moans escaped from her throat, and vibrated against his lips, as he reached to press his hands against her breasts, pressing softly into the silk skin. Motioning her down, he looked into her eyes for silent approval before pressing his lips against her taunt stomach. 

Lacquered fingernails drifted across his shoulders in tantalizing circles, across his bicep, then back to his shoulders again. She gasped when he kissed her low, and lower still, and gripped his hands in hers. Moments passed before she shuddered, whispering his name, and her grip lessoned.

Kiros climbed over her, leaning his weight carefully on top of her body. Stroking the side of her face, he gazed into her golden brown eyes and smiled with her, silently asking her if he should or should not proceed. Seluna gave a small nod, her eyes slitted and a sweet curve on her lips. With he knee he pushed her thighs apart, his eyes never leaving hers, and carefully slid his length inside her warm body. Seluna gasped and tightly closed her eyes, her breathing becoming erratic and hostile. She pressed her nails into his back and arches her body closer to him, embracing him over his shoulders as he moved. Kiros pressed his face into her shoulder and closed his eyes, reveling in the sensation of being inside her, being one with her.

She leaned her head back and moaned, wrapping her strong legs around his waist and pulling him closer. He thrust himself in tune with her movements, growing more and more excited over her whispers, as her body arched itself against him. He pressed her body closer to his, thrusting his hips into hers, entwining her limbs over his body as she cried out his name. They seemed as one, as she flew up and then down in one fell swoop, and he as well, as the world around them silently went supernova.

Kiros fell back against her, a sheen of sweat encasing his body. Panting, he raised a hand to hers, and gazed at her face. Her eyes were closed and her breathing shallow and cool, like a warm summer breeze. As carefully as he could, he reached behind them and gripped a sheet, pulling over their bodies. The last thing he saw before he too drifted off into darkness was the soft rise and fall of her chest as visions danced behind her eyes of Timber, and it's future.


	4. Chapter Four A Trip to Timber

Meeting Love, Finding Dispar

Chapter Four

A Trip to Timber

By Quis and Auria

_With additional help by Malice Shaw_

Quistis led the way to her apartment in the Esthar residencies. Seifer followed her, his tall frame towering the normally tall instructor. She fumbled for her key card, and entered her apartment. 

Children's toys were strewn on the floor, a Barbie doll here, a stuffed Moogle there. Seifer arched his eyebrow as he noticed these.

"You're too old to be playing with toys, Quisty," Seifer said mockingly.

Quistis turned her icy glare on Seifer. "For your information Seifer, I actually do have a daughter," she snapped.

Seifer laughed. "You are crazy, Quistis…and when do I get to meet her?" he asked in a slightly sardonic tone.

"You will meet Shira tonight. I'm picking her up from her father's," Quistis replied, as she walked into her room. "I'm just getting changed, stay in the kitchen."

Quistis quickly changed out of her suit into a pair of khaki green pants and a tank top of a similar colour, and placed her hair into a simple ponytail.

Seifer waited until he was out of Quistis's view before deciding to look around. He explored the kitchen, looking and smiling at the cookbooks.

_A Guide to Healthy Nutrition, First Edition- Lyn Kadowaki_

Seifer smirked. _Trust Quistis to have a book like that_, he thought with an amused expression. He saw a delicately framed photo of Quistis and a small child with startlingly blue eyes and pale blonde hair.

_Her daughter, so she wasn't bullshitting me after all_, Seifer thought as he picked up the photo.

Just then, Quistis came out of her room. "Seifer," she called, "Come on, we're going!"

Seifer took a double take as he saw her. "Wow, impressive choice of clothes, Quistis," he said sincerely.

Quistis gave him a look that clearly made Seifer look like an idiot.

Seifer laughed. "That hurt, Quisty," he said, holding his hand to his chest, trying to be cute.

Quistis ignored the jab, quickly walking past him into the living area where she picked up her bag and a pair of sunglasses.

"Come on, if you're going to come with me, then hurry. I'm not leaving you here, because I don't trust you," she said jokingly.

Seifer rubbed his chin before following Quistis like a lost puppy out to the garage where her hovercraft was waiting.

Quistis hopped in without waiting for Seifer. Quite frankly, she was beginning to tire of his overly cheerful, too Zell-like behaviour. Soon they were zipping across the roads towards Timber.

"You know, all this time I've been in jail, the only thing that kept me sane was thoughts of you," Seifer said suddenly.

Quistis just nodded. Sure they had been lovers at one stage, back when they were still SeeD cadets, when the two of them were fifteen. 

~A few years ago~

Quistis walked through the main hallway on the second floor of Balamb Garden. She looked so prim and proper, her hair pulled back in a smart bun, but with a few strands hanging loose in the front to show she wasn't completely by-the-book.

_Her new SeeD uniform was pressed to perfection. Every crease was exactly how it should be. She held a few books in her right arm. Everything was as it should be for her first day of class as a SeeD at the Garden._

_She had just made SeeD yesterday, and was now transferred to a SeeD class. No more junior classmen for her, she was with the important group at Garden. Unfortunately, she seemed to be the youngest SeeD at Garden. She had always been a prodigy at almost anything._

_She entered the class, shooting the teacher a smile for good measure. 'If I can't be perfect in class work, at least I can be perfect in personality.'  she thought._

_She sat at her desk, placing her two books, notebook, and pencil neatly in front of her. She was definitely ready for this._

_"Hello class...my name is Instructor Cardinal. I will do my best in training and teaching you, so that when you are dispatched for real missions in real combat, you won't need me holding your hand." he said, standing up from his position in his chair at his desk and moving to the front of the class. _

_Quistis did as she was told. She remembered when she first came here. She was ten years old, sent directly from Edea's Orphanage. She barely remembered the orphanage now. _

_The instructor interrupted her thoughts. _

_"I'm sure you all have an adequate Guardian Force junctioned?" he asked._

_Class was over three hours later. Quistis was glad to flex her butt muscles again. She was glad she still had a butt! After sitting in that harshly flat chair all morning she felt hers had been flatened to nothing._

_She exited the classroom to see a bunch of junior classmen gathered around in a large group. There was shouting and excitement emanating from every student around._

_Quistis, being the responsible person she was, decided to investigate this. She pushed through the crowd to find fourteen year-old Squall Leonhart and fifteen year-old Seifer Almasy on the floor, fists flying._

_She remembered them from her last class, the one before she was promoted to SeeD. Seifer was always on Squall's back for something, and Squall was always ready for it. The two were truly rivals; fighting over anything and everything._

_"Stop! Just stop!" she bent over, trying to pull Seifer away from Squall. Seifer stood up when grabbed by Quistis, Squall followed._

_"Don't talk about her like that Almasy." Squall said menacingly._

_"Oh, did I hurt your feelings?" Seifer spat back. Quistis had obviously missed something._

_"Just shut up! What are you talking about?" she said, completely frustrated with this whole mess. It was always like this._

_"He got all pissed because I told him his sister is dead." _

_"He has a sister?" Quistis asked._

_"I don't know...I heard him say something about a sister, so I said that just to piss him off. He went crazy and attacked me. I think he should see Dr. Kadowaki." Seifer said to Quistis. Quistis rolled her eyes. Seifer had managed to do it again._

_Squall stormed off, still totally furious. _

_Quistis turned on her heel and walked away. At least they were seperated, thats all that mattered right now. _

_Seifer walked up to Quistis._

_"What?" she said, still looking straight ahead._

_"You're SeeD now right?" he asked. _

_Quistis looked down at her SeeD uniform, stopped walking, and looked at him._

_"You could say that." she said._

_"So how is it?" he asked, smirking._

_"Fun. We get to finger paint," she said sarcastically. She wanted him to go away right now, she needed no more stress._

_Seifer looked her straight in the eye for a moment._

_"Trepe, you are so uptight." he said after a few seconds._

_"You expect me to be all buddy-buddy after that show you just put on?" she said._

_"It was a pretty good show, huh?" he said arrogantly. Quistis rolled her eyes and continued down the corridor._

_He soon caught up._

_"So where are you headed to?" he asked._

_She thought for a moment. She really didn't know, she was just walking to get away._

_"I don't know." she said. Seifer smirked._

_"So Quistis doesn't have a plan...did you happen to look out the window and catch those flying pigs, they're a dandy." he smarted off._

_"Seifer, what do you want?" she asked irritably. _

_Seifer shrugged. "I don't know...I was bored, so I decided to bother you." he said. _

_"How immature." she stated. He laughed._

_"I guess that's how I should be for being a fifteen year old boy." he said, putting emphasis on the word "fifteen"._

_However much a pain, he is charming, Quistis thought._

~End Flashback~

A part of her wished they could go back to those days in Garden, but another, more realistic side of her knew that those days would never come again.

There were only a few more kilometres until they reached Timber. Quistis pulled the hovercraft to a stop, and hopped out.

"What the fuck are you doing, Trepe?" Seifer called, as he followed Quistis.

"Walking the rest of the way, Almasy," Quistis retorted, as she headed towards the outskirts of the town.

Timber had changed quite a bit since Quistis had first visited there. As president, she had worked hard at the job. Her insight, talents and visions shone through, and Timber was now a small country town bustling with energy and vigour unknown before. A long, winding road stretched out and before them stood a sign with the population numbers of Timber. 

Quistis smiled before turning to Seifer. "Well, there's always the high road," she joked, as she began to sing.

By yon bonnie, bonnie banks and by yon bonnie, bonnie braes Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond 

_For me an' my true love'll never meet again_

_On the bonnie, bonnie bank of Loch Lomond_

_Oh, ye'll take the high road an' I'll take the low road_

_And I'll be in Timber afore ye_

_For me an my true love'll never meet again_

_On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond_

As she ended the song, a soldier marched towards her, a deadly expression etched on his face. He was wearing the colours of a Galbadian soldier.

"You are trespassing on Galbadian soil," he said.

Quistis laughed. "Excuse me, but I don't think that Timber is part of Galbadia any longer," she said, "I'm Quistis Trepe, the first president of the New Timber Republic."

The soldier snorted. He glanced at the man behind Quistis and a flicker of fear registered in his eyes.

Seifer was still an enigma, no matter what he was. As he walked past Quistis, his arm snaked out, and grabbed the scrawny soldier around the neck.

"Listen here, fuckwit, and listen well. If you dare insult **Quistis, I will personally see to it that you're ****dead before you can count to fifty. Got it?" Seifer said in a menacing tone, his eyes steely, like the colour of the ocean on a cloudy day.**

The soldier smirked. "If that's all you have to say, then scram!" he said.

Seifer didn't release the man from his hold. He slammed the man against the signpost. "Watch it, or I'll personally see that you die," he threatened. He released the soldier and continued walking towards Timber.

Quistis was shocked that he would do such an act of violence, but then remembered whom she was with. She smirked softly as she continued towards Timber.

The outskirts of Timber was populated with tiny, quaint houses, the type most likely to be found in a history book or a children's fairy tale. The tiny cottages stood to one side of the road, and climbed up into the natural hills and dales around Timber.

They stopped. On the verge of the town, Quistis spied a stuffed Moogle. She bent down to pick it up, smiling as she inhaled its musky scent. She looked at it once more, before realizing something. It was Shira's Moogle.

"Come on, Seifer, we have to hurry!" she exclaimed, urgency in her voice.

"What's wrong, Quistis?" Seifer asked, genuinely caring about her.

"Shira!" the strangled cry arose from her throat, as she ran towards the house where Zone lived.

She burst through the door angrily, her whole mind focused upon Shira's safety, and that alone was her primary concern.

"Zone, where is Shira?" Quistis asked, as her ex-husband came into view.

Zone looked a mess. He looked like he hadn't slept for three days, a beer gut prominent and sticking out. He was not the man Quistis remembered him to be; a few short weeks ago he looked healthy and alive. Now, he looked worn out and unwell.

"Quistis," he slurred, "Shira's asleep."

Quistis looked closely at Zone. "Zone, what's happened?" she asked quietly, knowing that there was a reason for his dishevelled look.

"I got kicked in the stomach by a Galbadian dog, that's what," Zone said, before he collapsed.

Seifer sprang into action as Quistis ran towards her daughter's room.

"Shira, honey…. Mummy's come to take you home," she said, as she woke her daughter.

Shira was still sleepy when Quistis picked her up. Small for her age, she was easy to lift. Shira only looked like she was four years old. She leant her head against her mother's shoulder and went back to sleep.

Quistis cradled her daughter in her arms as Seifer stood up after helping Zone to his feet. He had collapsed again after Quistis left the room to retrieve her sleepy daughter.

He smiled at Quistis before letting his gaze wander over to the little one in Quistis's arms.

"So, shall we go?" Quistis asked, motioning to Seifer to pick up a suitcase.

Seifer nodded, and picked up the suitcase before heading to the front door.

Quistis followed him, carrying Shira on her back. 

In the sunlit afternoon, the fields around Timber looked quaint. A ripe field of hay was ready to be harvested, and the green oat fields looked healthy and lush. Quistis had planted and harvested the fields with the people of Timber, and it brought a smile to her face to see the fields going so well.

Soon, they were heading back to Esthar. Shira was asleep for the whole journey.

A smile appeared on Seifer's chiselled features as they rode back. "You're lucky, Quistis," he said softly.

Quistis smiled as she heard his voice.

It had been so long since he had kissed her, and she longed for it.

A/N. Phew! This chapter's done! For the duration of this fic, Timber will be a small farming community as well as the TV Station's home. 


	5. Chapter Five Perfection in the Fire

Meeting Love, Finding Despair  
Chapter Five  
  
Perfection in the Fire  
  
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and its respective trademarks are copyright of Square Europe.   
Copyright: Seluna Armanti and Shira Trepe, both belong to Quis, Auria and Malice Shaw.   
  
Seluna awoke the following morning beside Kiros. The sunlight drifted through the semi-parted curtains, framing his chiselled features in a halo of golden light. The subtle rise and fall of his chest depicting his dreaming, and his eyelashes pressed butterfly kisses on his cheeks. She shifted slightly, attempting to nudge his arms from her waist, and he let out a small moan, instead gripping her tightly to him and resting his chin on her shoulder. Seluna thought for a moment if she should wake up him, and decided against it, shifted carefully from his grasp, and pulled herself free from the bed.   
  
He watched her as she dressed, bathed in the golden light of the morning, her skin coated with canary, reminding him humorously of cocoa butter. He gazed at her as she shifted through her drawers for clothing, and smiled to himself as she pulled on a silk top and plaid slacks, covering up any hint of femininity that he had caressed just the night before. She was all business; this woman was, when she wasn't letting her constant guard down.   
  
As she ventured towards her kitchen to presumably make a meal, Kiros wondered to himself, just what the night before was to either of them. It was a release for the both of them, emotions high and running, and even he had to admit, he needed to let go just once. Yet other things clouded his mind. If it were a simple one-night thing, he ventured, he would not be thinking about it.  
  
Kiros rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he eased himself into a sitting position. "Seluna?" he called, as he threw back the covers.  
  
Seluna turned the corner with a large stack of pancakes. Her business suit was crisp as ever, as though she had done nothing but turn on the computer.   
  
"Good morning, Kiros," she said with a warm smile.   
  
Kiros smiled back.   
  
In another part of the Presidential Palace, Quistis tossed and turned on her bed. A dream of another time and another place haunted her.   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
Quistis was sixteen. She was waiting in the "secret spot" for Seifer. They'd been dating for about nine months. Tonight she was supposed to meet him here.  
  
  
As usual, he showed up about fifteen minutes late. He always did. She could never decide whether it was because he wanted to look cool, making his girlfriend wait for him, or if he really was late because he didn't care enough to start getting ready earlier.  
  
He strode up to her and casually placed his arm around her waist.   
  
She smiled and kissed him on his lips, a quick little peck.  
  
"So what have you been up to, Quisty?" he asked, moving closer to her.  
  
"Well...you know...class..." she murmured.   
  
He smiled, a rare, genuine smile. Most of his smiles were smirks of satisfaction after he'd 'accomplished' something. This one was no such thing. It made him look so charming.  
  
She turned to look over the rail and out at the Garden, brilliant lights everywhere.  
  
He held her close, his arms around her waist. He lowered his head and pressed his lips against her neck. She giggled.  
  
"You know that tickles!" she said, squirming. He grinned and continued kissing her neck as she squirmed.  
  
"Seifer Almasy!" she said, giggling. She squirmed until she turned all the way around, back against the rail, and was looking into his eyes.  
  
"I love you, Quistis," he said.   
  
His words left her speechless. She stared at him for a few moments before her own voice came back to her.  
  
"I love you too, Seifer." she choked out.  
  
Another memory played out, this time, even more haunting than she had ever thought of.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Quistis was seventeen.  
  
  
She sat on her bed. Seifer should be here any minute, she had to tell him...  
  
  
This relationship couldn't work any longer. He was beginning to become controlling of her. Ever since she became an instructor, he still a student, things had been hard.  
  
Her job was demanding more then she thought it would. She had to teach, plus go out on exams with her students, usually taking one at a time. Her schedule was booked, she couldn't make time for him, and she understood how that could be irritating for him.  
This had to end.  
  
Seifer walked into the room.   
  
"Quistis! I'm glad you could find time for me to come over. I just"-- she cut him off.  
  
"Seifer...I don't think this will work," she said solemnly.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
"I don't think we should see each other anymore..." she said, barely daring to look him in the eye.  
  
He looked back for a few moments, stunned.  
  
"So you want to break this relationship completely?" He asked suddenly.  
  
Tears were already forming in the corners of her eyes. "I don't know what I want Seifer. This won't work with me being an instructor. I have no time for you, and that's not fair to you." she said.  
  
"I don't care about what you consider 'fair'. I want to be with you, I don't care how much time...just with you." he said.  
  
"I can't handle it. I'm not even getting four hours of sleep a night anymore. I can't take all this. Something has to change, and it has to be this," she said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.  
  
Seifer stared coldly for a few moments.  
  
"Thank you for your valuable time....Instructor," he said coldly, and walked out, leaving the door hanging open.  
  
That was the first time he had called her "Instructor". The wound had cut deeply into her heart, like a knife through butter.   
  
The day she had sat on the judge's panel to decide his sentence for his war crimes had been the hardest day of her life. She remembered looking at the little slim choker across his neck, smiling sadly to herself. She'd given him that, long ago.  
  
She sat up abruptly in bed. A wave of emotion ran over her as she threw back the covers and padded lightly to the kitchen.  
  
I'd better wake Shira soon, she thought.  
  
Quistis made breakfast before heading into her daughter's room to wake her up. A smile escaped her lips as she saw Shira spread-eagle like across the sheets.  
  
"Shira, wake up, honey," Quistis whispered, shaking her daughter gently.  
  
Shira's eyes were unfocused as she woke up. She sat up and stretched her arms above her head before she saw her mother's face.  
  
"Mummy!" she exclaimed, hugging Quistis tightly.  
  
Quistis hugged her back, before picking her up off the bed. A little under twenty kilos, Shira was small for her age.   
  
"You ready for breakfast?" Quistis asked as Shira scrambled down.  
  
Shira nodded. "Mummy? How do you know Seifer?"  
  
Quistis hadn't been prepared for that. A look of discomfort crossed her face for a second, before she schooled the expression into a neutral one.  
  
"He was my student," Quistis said, avoiding the truth.  
  
"You taught him?" Another question that was unavoidable. Quistis had to force herself not to shout at her daughter for asking such questions.  
  
"Yes, a long time ago," The truth was much more complicated than that, Quistis knew.   
  
"Is he coming to see us again? I liked him," Shira's innocent question made Quistis blush red.   
  
That clever girl, she thought, I guess nothing escapes her when Laguna takes her out on outings.  
  
"Yes," Quistis replied abruptly, setting a plate of French toast down in front of Shira before sitting down herself with the same.  
  
Through breakfast, Quistis was forced to answer questions about Seifer, until the doorbell rang.  
  
Seifer Almasy stood outside, a bouquet of lilies in his hand and a picnic basket in the other; clearly intending to invite them to a picnic.  
  
"Can I come in or are you just gonna make me stand here?" Seifer joked, as he entered the apartment.  
  
Quistis frowned and scooted over to a nearby seat to sit down.   
"Seifer!" Shira's voice was excited, as she ran to hug him.   
  
Seifer lifted the little girl up before tossing her gently into the air and placing her down again on her feet.  
  
"Good to see you, Shira," Seifer laughed.  
  
Quistis excused herself, and walked into the kitchen. Her kitchen was tidy, ample and well equipped. She headed for the cupboard to grab some cleaning supplies, busying herself with cleaning.  
  
Meanwhile, Seifer was faced with a barrage of questions from the inquisitive little six year old. He watched her as she walked over to a toy chest to one side of the room and pulled out a rather large rubber hopper.  
  
"How did you and mummy meet?" Shira asked, as she bounced happily around the room on her hopper.  
  
Seifer laughed. "We've known each other since we were younger than you," he replied, "We met at the Orphanage."  
  
He paused, not knowing how much of her mother's history Shira knew. "How much of your mummy's history do you know?" he asked gently.  
  
"Mummy was born in Dollet, at the beginning of the First Sorceress War," Shira replied as if she had memorised the speech off by heart. "Mummy's told me everything," she bragged.  
  
Seifer gave a short bark of laughter. "Did you know that we were once in love?" he asked, and Shira nodded.  
  
Just then, Quistis appeared out of the kitchen. An esky was in one hand, her whip dangled dangerously by her side.  
  
"Are you ready, Mr Almasy? The picnic is waiting," Quistis said playfully.  
  
A/N. This was pretty hard to write, I lost inspiration during this chapter. Hopefully, Malice will write the next chapter if I don't come up with anything...Special thanks to Starlight for betaing part of this chapter. xD 


	6. Chapter Six A Family Outing?

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

**By Quis and Malice**

**Chapter Six**

**A Family Outing?**

_Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and its respective trademarks belong to Squaresoft. We only own Shira, Luna and any other character that was not in the game._

The hovercraft sped out of Esthar and along the highway towards the Kashkabald Mountains. Their destination was a well-known spot for picnickers, secluded in the woods.

Shira smiled as she watched the scenery flash by. She had her face squished against the window as she looked at the many different colours and hues from all the greenery. She looked towards the front of the craft, watching her mummy and Seifer as they talked.

Her mother was happy, she observed. It was a memory that would remain forever in her mind. The sight of Quistis smiling, her golden hair down around her face as she laughed merrily at something Seifer said.

Soon, they were there. Seifer pulled the hovercraft to a stop, as they looked at the scenery. It was lush, vibrant, colourful and dangerous.

"We're here," he said, stating the obvious as he unbuckled Shira from her seat. She reached her chubby arms up around his neck, hugging him.

Quistis walked around to the boot of the craft, pulling out the basket and blanket. Walking towards a secluded spot in the dense woodland, she put the blanket and basket down. Her whip was in her hand as she carefully looked around the place, an old SeeD reflex she had never grown out of.

Seeing no immediate danger in the surrounding glade, she heaved a sigh of relief. As she walked back to the blanket, she noticed that Seifer had already spread it out for her, a very chivalric thing to do. An assortment of food appeared out of the basket, including a bottle of Champaign and a bottle of orange juice.

Shira smiled as she ran off to find some children to play with. "Mummy!" she said, "I'm going exploring. I'm going to catch me a red bat."

Quistis frowned. Her daughter wanted to catch a potentially harmful monster. "Shira, the answer is no. Red bats are dangerous," she said.

Shira pouted, "Then how come you brought your whip then, mummy?" she asked, "And why does Seifer have his Gunblade?"

Seifer smirked lazily, "We bring our weapons to protect you, Shira. You are everything to your mother, don't ever forget that."

Quistis caught on quickly. "Honey, we're only telling you this because we love you," she said, a pointed glance at Seifer, who chose to laugh.

The day progressed quickly. Seifer had thought of everything, right down to the swimming hole in the middle of the clearing, not far from where they were picnicking.

It was while they were swimming that it happened. A great, lumbering beast known as a T-Rexaur came lumbering through the trees, in search of a tasty meal.

Seifer was lounging on the bank; his feet dabbling in the water when he saw it. A flash of red and orange seemed to be coming at them, as a cry erupted from his throat in a curse.

"Fuck!" he swore, pulling himself out of the water, running towards his Hyperion. But it was too late. The T-Rexaur had already reached them. 

"Take Shira back to the hovercraft, then go back to Esthar," he shouted, "I'll handle this myself." 

He slashed angrily at the throat of the T-Rexaur as he saw from the corner of his eye Quistis running like hell for leather, Shira in her arms.

Blinding the beast, he slashed out at its tiny front arms, its tail swinging wildly as it attacked in confusion. Quistis felt the breath knocked out of her body as she got lashed with the tail.

The damage had been done. Quistis glanced at Shira, and there was blood pouring out from a gash on her face, high near the end of the jawbone.

She screamed as Seifer unleashed Shiva, its ice attack shattering the T-Rexaur. There was no time to grab the picnic stuff.

Her daughter lay in her arms, bleeding to death. She hoped never to have had such a thing happen. It was one of the reasons she left SeeD. 

As she fumbled for the door key to the hovercraft, she quickly put her hand on Shira's forehead, casting a numbing spell to stop the pain. Shira was sobbing rapidly.

Seifer came up behind her, his coat all stained with blood from the T-Rexaur's attack. He helped Quistis put Shira in the car, before they sped off to the nearby hospital.

The swarm of peak hour traffic delayed arrival at the hospital.

"Come on!" Seifer shouted, starting to lose patience at the delay of the traffic. Finally, he pushed his foot hard on the accelerator, speeding towards the hospital at a rate that could earn him a ticket. Frankly, though, Seifer didn't care.

As the lights of the great Estharian hospital came into view, he pushed his foot down harder on the accelerator, willing it to go faster.

As they reached the hospital entrance, Seifer didn't wait for the engine to stop before throwing open the door and pulling Shira and Quistis out gently.

It was the worst five hours of their lives. Shira was undergoing surgery to reset the bone that had been broken by the impact of the tail hitting her jaw.

A tense silence fell on the two adults as they waited for any news. Quistis turned to Seifer for comfort, finding it in the surety of his embrace, his lips against hers. If you had told Quistis twelve years ago that she would find comfort in Seifer's embrace, she would have laughed at you.

Yet, here she was, in the darkness of night, sharing a passionate kiss with Seifer, while the storm that had broken during the first few hours of their anxious wait raged on.

A slight noise came to their left, as they broke the kiss.

"Ms. Trepe?" A white-coated doctor asked, "I need to talk to you."

Quistis had a thin, brittle smile on her face, as she followed the doctor to his office. "We've done all we can, but she can never talk the same way again."

A fat tear rolled down her face, tracing its way down through the grime covering her face.

A mute nod came as she registered the fact in her mind. "Can we take her home?" she asked, "I have staff on hand at the Palace," she said to the doctor.

He nodded.

She left the office, heading towards the paediatric ward soon after. Her thoughts were angry, blaming the higher officials for their lack of duty of care to their citizens.

A/N. Wow! This took quite a while to update, ne? Special mention to Charlie for being a sweetie and encouraging me through the writing of this chapter. 


	7. Chapter Seven All's Fair in Love And War

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

By Quis and Malice

Chapter Seven

**All's Fair in Love and War**

_Disclaimer: The usual. Final Fantasy and its respective trademarks are Copyright Square Europe, 2003._

Seifer stayed constantly by Shira's side, only leaving to eat and go to the bathroom. In a way, this was his contribution to courting Quistis. 

Quistis felt grateful to Seifer for taking such good care of a child that wasn't even his by blood. She loved Seifer more than what she had in the past, possibly because they were no longer sixteen year old students in Garden. There was a deep bond between them that not even the space of ten years could break.

"Seifer?" Quistis said, coming into her daughter's room to see Seifer reading a book to Shira. Seifer looked up.

"Yes, Quisty?" he asked, using his pet name for her, a name that was often forgotten by everyone else in their day-to-day communication with her.

She laughed. "Nobody has called me Quisty in a long time," she said, as she placed a gentle kiss on Shira's head. 

They had rapidly fallen into their old accustomed roles. She was still the woman he called "Instructor" as a joke, and he was still her "favourite student".  She laughed softly as she recognised the complete irony of the situation.

"You remember when we were students?" she asked Seifer, as they kept a bedside vigil for Shira.

Seifer chuckled. "I do," he said softly, "I remember that one time, I drew all over a test paper that you'd given us. I think I'd drawn something offensive, because you got really mad at me."

Quistis laughed, "Yes, you did draw a naked woman in the top of your paper. I've kept all those old exams, if you want to look at them."

She hardly expected it when Seifer lent forwards and brushed his lips over hers before smiling. "I haven't forgotten it, my dear." He said as he ended the sweet kiss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Seluna fidgeted nervously as she waited to see Kiros. She had to tell him something important, something that would change her life and his forever.

She looked down the hall, spying Kiros's tall form. It was now or never. If she didn't tell Kiros, she'd go back to Timber, pregnant and Kiros would be inevitably hurt and worried.

Kiros walked up to her and placed an arm around her waist, drawing her close. 

"Kiros," Seluna said softly, as Kiros hugged her. "I have something I need to tell you."

Kiros braced himself for the worst; his arms still looped around her waist was a comforting sign for Seluna.

"Tell me, Luna," he said, "I'll still love you."

"I'm pregnant."

Truth be told, Kiros was somewhat relieved. He hadn't married, waiting for the right woman, his soul mate. Glancing down at Seluna, he knew it was worth the wait. 

It seemed like an eternity to Seluna before Kiros spoke. Thoughts and dreams flashed through her mind, dreams of a family with three children, her and Kiros together for eternity.

"My dear," Kiros said softly. "I was hoping to persuade you to leave Timber, but now I shall leave with you instead."

He lent down and kissed her, trying to convey the love he felt for her.

"I am hoping that you will do me the honour of being my wife."

Seluna trembled in his grasp before speaking the two words that since time immemorial had been sacred. "I will."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Quistis left her daughter's room, and headed towards parliament, where she was expected in ten minutes to decide on the deployment of troops to fight against Galbadia. Galbadia was eagre for another war, one that would inevitably involve the nearby countries of Balamb, Timber, Winhill and a few other cities. Esthar would go to war against Galbadia if such an occurrence did happen.

"What are we to say if Galbadia attacks Timber? How are we going to react to such a situation?" She asked the elderly men who were so anxious to go in to aid Timber.

"I may only be twenty eight, but I have seen more war than most people younger than I. I was a SeeD one of the six who defeated Ultimecia; I was one of the best there was. So listen when I say it is unwise to send the troops in unless they call _us_ for aid." 

The men around the table nodded sagely. They had learnt to respect Quistis Trepe from day one. That was one of the things that made Quistis a wise choice as Head of Defence Ops.

An old man with hair white as snow spoke up. "You're right, Ms. Trepe. I've seen too much fighting," he said, "There's too much fighting now."

Quistis nodded. "Exactly, Mr Harrison," she said, "Which is why we must avoid this war at all costs."

He stood then, walking around to where Quistis stood, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't want this war any more than you do," he said. 

She nodded. "I need to go to see my daughter. She's recovering from a broken jaw…" she whispered, "Take care of things here, I'll be back as soon as I can."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Seifer fed Shira a bowl of pumpkin soup as he told her a story. It wouldn't be the last time he would tell her a story to beguile the nights when she was in pain.

"Seifer?" she asked, snuggling down under the covers, "Tell me a story."

Seifer laughed as she spoke with difficulty, knowing how much it hurt for her to speak. "Sure, princess…what story do you want?"

"A story about King Arthur," she whispered.

Seifer nodded. He searched his mind for a way to tell the story. It suddenly came to him in a flash of inspiration. _Maybe I could tell her about his death…Quistis loved that poem,_ he thought.

"Alrighty," he said with a laugh, and began.

_"So all day long the noise of battle rolled_

_Among the mountains by the winter sea_

_Until King Arthur's table, man by man_

_Had fallen in Lyonnesse about their lord,_

_King Arthur: then, because his wound was deep_

_The bold Sir Bedivere uplifted him_

_Sir Bedivere, the last of all his knights_

_And bore him to a chapel nigh the field_

_A broken chancel with a broken cross_

_That stood on an empty strait of barren land._

_On one side lay the Ocean, and on one_

_Lay a great water, and the moon was full."_

 Here he stopped, as Shira's contented rise and fall of her chest assured him that the tiny girl was fast asleep. He quietly crept out of her room, heading towards the kitchen for a cup of strong coffee.

Quistis entered her apartment, hearing the sounds of the coffee pot bubbling away as she stood for a few minutes, observing the quiet that had settled.

She saw, for the first time, the peace that had become a luxury to her life. Her world had all-too-quickly become a whirlwind, one that left her no room to breathe.

A SeeD at fifteen, an Instructor at seventeen, a mother at twenty-two and now in love once more, at twenty-eight.  She had lived a charmed life, but that would change soon. She had to tell him.

She smiled as the scent of coffee brought her back to the reality of her life. Quistis walked into the kitchen to see Seifer, a four days worth of beard growth on his chin. A smile found its way to her lips as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hello," she said simply.

"Quistis," Seifer smiled as she encircled her arms around his neck playfully.

In that simple moment of eternity, Seifer Almasy knew that he would never want to part from the blonde woman or her daughter. He wanted to do the right thing by her and marry her, but part of him knew that she would not marry him now. They needed their strength to nurse Shira back to health; that was their main priority at the moment. A small cry from the bedroom alerted Quistis and Seifer to the fact that Shira was once again awake. 

Quistis moved to go to her, but was held back by Seifer. "We'll walk in together, my dear," he said quietly, his arm moving to her waist, pulling her close to him.

As they entered Shira's room, the moon came out from behind the clouds, shining its silvery light upon the trio. 

_They were so happy, I remember,_ Shira would later write in her memoirs, _a scene that has never erased itself from my memory_.

Shira smiled at the happy couple, basking in the glory they felt for one another. She never dreamed that Quistis would be so happy with Seifer, the man she was beginning to call _daddy_ in her mind.

"Shira," Quistis said as she walked over to the bed to sit next to her daughter. "I love you, honey…. Just get better soon, as Mummy has something she wants to talk to you about."

Shira could have burst out crying. She could have burst out laughing. But she didn't. She simply wrapped her thin arms around her mother's neck, hugging her tightly.

In that exquisitely small amount of time, Quistis regretted waiting to tell Seifer that she was sick. A frown appeared on her delicate features, a look of regret and sadness crossing her face.

Seifer noticed this. A small frown appeared, but he quickly masked it with a neutral expression. He smiled softly as Shira reached her thin arms out to him, as he made his way to the bedside. 

He picked her up, holding her gently, as though she was a porcelain doll about to break with the slightest of slight movements. She loved Seifer as her daddy now, and nothing would ever change that.

Quistis noticed how Shira held tightly to Seifer, tears rapidly welling as she realized that it would be best for them both to marry, as to give Shira the framework of a happy, stable family. 

They left the room, Seifer cradling Shira in his arms; Quistis following close behind. As they walked into the kitchen, Quistis began humming a tune under her breath. 

Seifer put a soup-filled bowl on the table in front of Quistis. "Eat," he said gently, "You need to."

She shook her head, "I think you should, Seifer, you need it more than I do," she said.

He smiled. She was always thinking of others before herself, it was in her nature to be understanding, if not always compassionate.

Quistis was truly grateful for Seifer's presence. If anything, it meant a great deal to her that he would take time to look after a child that wasn't his.

_Maybe I'll tell him my secret soon,_ she thought, _if I don't, he will become bitter and hateful again._

_A/N…Mucho thanks go to Dia for the help with every aspect of this fic! Where would I be without you, gal? And for the late night chats to beguile the insomnia!_


	8. Chapter Eight Of Life and Love?

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

**Chapter Eight**

**Of Life and Love?**

Quistis Trepe stood on the balcony, a thin wisp of smoke trailing from one hand as she leaned out over the railing. She took a drag of the cigarette, inhaling its sweet taste. Her whole life was spinning out of control.

The chemotherapy took a lot out of her, when she wasn't in chemo; she was racing around trying to run the department of defence and foreign affairs and raising her daughter. 

Seifer was inside.  If she didn't make her choice when to tell him, she knew he'd be bitter when she was next admitted to hospital. _That's it,_ she decided, _I'll tell him_.

On the horizon, she could see the first of the stars. She stubbed out the cigarette, placing the butt in the bin before walking into the kitchen.

"Seifer?" She called as she washed her hands at the sink. He appeared then, with a tea towel over his shoulder and a goofy grin that would have suited Zell a lot better than it did Seifer.

Seifer placed a gentle arm around her waist as he kissed her on the cheek.  "How's my queen this fine day?" he asked with a smirk.

A frown appeared on his face as he caught a whiff of stale cigarette smoke. "You've been smoking."

She sighed. It was now or never that she would have to tell him. Deep inside, she regretted not being straightforward about her illness.  "So? I've been smoking for eighteen months."

His frown deepened. "I know you never smoked when we were at Garden. What gives, Quistis?"

Quistis made an exasperated movement with her left hand. Her right hand flew to her mouth, covering ruby red lips with frightening quickness.

She felt the pain come in spasms, so hard and fast that it was as intense as it had been when she gave birth to Shira. Except then, she'd had the painkiller to relieve the pain.

Quistis stumbled forwards, gasping for breath. Seifer looked on confused, until Shira cried out, "Mummy!" in her childlike voice.

As though time moved in slow motion, Seifer saw Quistis stumble headfirst into the hard shining surface of the kitchen bench. He felt his body move into action as the adrenaline kicked in. All he could hear was Shira's screams.

He caught Quistis just before her head connected with the black marble bench-top. She was very light in his arms, almost too light for comfort.

"Shira, call Laguna," he said to Quistis's daughter, "Tell him its an emergency!"

He was frightened. Scared of losing the woman he loved so dearly, who was his entire reason for being in this Hyne-forsaken place. If Quistis died, he would always blame himself.

Shira knew what had happened. She nodded to Seifer, her big eyes wider with fright and yet there was something in those eyes that suggested to him that she knew what was going on, that he could trust her to make the right choice. Her legs carried her faster than the phone call would be answered. Shira ran for Laguna.

Laguna looked up from the mountain of paperwork that had become even greater. He heard the urgent, hurried footsteps of a child. Placing his head in his hands, he knew who it was.

The guard stopped the girl at the door. "You can't come in," he said with a monotone that suggested he hated his job.

Shira looked up at the guard. "Let me in, you big meanie," she said with her most intimidating voice.

Laguna heard the exchange, deciding to step in and resolve the matter. "Shira," he said, walking past his guard, towards the girl standing there in her Moogle pyjamas. 

She was so frail and childlike in the moonlight, he reflected, but then again, Shira was only six. "Mummy's fainted, and Seifer's gone bananas," she said to Laguna as he lifted her up to his shoulders.

Together they ran to the apartment. Just as Shira had said, Seifer was bewildered by the sudden fainting spell of Quistis's. 

In the time it had taken Shira to get Laguna, Seifer had placed Quistis on the couch, walked into their bedroom, packed a bag of her clothes and was ready to rush to the Royal Estharian Hospital.

"Laguna!" Seifer exclaimed with obvious relief, "Thank Hyne you're here!"

Laguna wasted no time in summoning paramedics to the scene. By the time the paramedics arrived at the door, Quistis's condition worsened.

Her normally creamy skin had gone blue with lack of oxygen getting through to the brain. A ghostly pallor seemed to have taken over the woman's face. Seifer watched as the paramedics stuck an IV drip into her arm, wincing as they did so.

If there was one secret Seifer had, it was that he hated needles. He absolutely detested them. Gently, he stroked Quistis's hair back from her face with his hand, the paramedics lowering the stretcher onto the hovering vehicle that was outside the apartment. They followed in silence, following the hovercraft to the hospital.

He could remember so much that he had tried to block out from his memory. Times when they were young- Shira's age, playing happily in the water at the Orphanage. It was the worst twenty hours of his life.

As the doctors came and went in the hospital, the waiting seemed eternal. Nobody came and spoke with him, nobody informed him. He was a face in a sea of thousands, eternally lost in the void. As he took a sip of his coffee in its Styrofoam cup, he realised, with a sigh, that it had gone cold hours ago.

At last, he looked up to see a salvation. An old, wizened woman stood there wearing a white lab coat and a nametag identifying her as Dr. Helena Moriarty.

"Are you the man who came in with Ms. Trepe?" she asked kindly, as she took a seat next to him. Seifer nodded numbly. 

Helena patted Seifer's hand as she prepared her words for the young man sitting beside her. She had heard of Seifer's fame and the rise and fall that had led to his demise as a knight. Yet the grandmotherly instinct in her was strong.

"Is Quistis ok?" Seifer's words gushed out in a slurred jumble. With all the waiting and anxiety, the lack of sleep had gotten the better of him. 

"Her condition is stable, but we'll need to keep her in for a few more days. She's due for chemotherapy in a few weeks, but we might as well do it now." Helena chose her words carefully.

"Chemotherapy?" Seifer choked out the words as a blind rush of anger hit him. She was sick, sicker than either of them knew, but yet she refused to _tell_ him? It made no sense to the bewildered man.

He stood up in a rage, startling the old and kindly Helena. Not waiting for an answer, he stormed out of the hospital. Seifer stormed down the bridge connecting the hospital to the palace, into the Training Facilities.

He had his Gunblade with him. It was a good day to die for any wandering monster species that might happen to stray across the irate blonde's path that day.

He ran headfirst into a T-Rexaur. Without looking up, Seifer slashed the T-Rexaur directly where the tough as iron skin was the weakest. The giant prehistoric beast roared with pain as it fell. Seifer laughed sardonically. Even the mightiest of mighty enemies had fallen with one stroke.

As he worked his way through the various VR levels, he found himself calming down. A plan began to formulate as he exited the room, feeling refreshed and slightly hazed.

He would visit Quistis later, just to see how she was. But for now, he knew he had to see Giani Allibrandi, an old Trabian merchant.

A meandering alleyway led Seifer to his location. A stall, just outside the high court of Esthar held only enough jewellery for a simple merchant.

"Seifer!" Giani exclaimed with a chuckle, "Thought I'd never see you again, no?" he said.

"Actually, Giani, I came to ask of you a small favour," Seifer was grovelling for Giani to give him a bouquet of lilies for Quistis.

"A favour? Ask me anything, Seifer, you know I'm always a-willing to give you a favour," he said.

"Can you give me a bunch of Calla Lilies?" Seifer asked with a hint of embarrassment. At the touch of embarrassment Seifer showed, Giani laughed.

"Flowers for the special girl, no?" He asked with such perception that it was hard for Seifer not to break out into genuine laughter for the first time in months.

"Yes, flowers for Quistis," Seifer replied.

Giani handed Seifer the bouquet, nodding only briefly before the old wizened man vanished from sight.

He was standing alone on a stage of crowded people as he stood on the platform waiting for the bus to take him back to the hospital.

As the large oblong vehicle pulled into view, Seifer's smile broadened. He had the bouquet of Calla Lilies in his hand as he boarded the bus. As the bus pulled away from the station, he felt a wave of relief wash over him.

He knew what he would do. He spent the next ten minutes planning what he was going to do when Quistis was released from hospital.

He would propose.

The bus screeched to a halt outside the visitor's entrance to the hospital. A smirk worked its way onto his features as he asked at the front desk where a certain Ms. Quistis Trepe's room was.

As he walked down the hallway, towards her ward, he thought about all the cruel things he had done in the past, regretting them when it was too late to do anything.

He pushed the door open, looking at the blonde head of hair in the sea of dark haired people in the ward.

Quistis saw Seifer, and smiled wistfully. He knew she was sick, and he loved her, his gaze seemed to say when she caught his eye.

Seifer walked over to her bedside, planting a gentle kiss on her lips as he sat down beside her on the bed.

"Hello, Quistis," he said awkwardly, feeling the accusing stares of the other patients on his back.

"Hey, Seif," she said weakly, as he presented her with the flowers. "I suppose you know I have cancer?"


	9. Chapter Nine A Dance in the Rain

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

By Quis

Chapter Nine

_A Dance in The Rain_

_Disclaimer: Seifer, Quistis, Laguna, Ellone and any other characters from Final Fantasy VIII do not belong to me. _

Ellone Loire stood watching her friend with the anxiety of a mother hen. A heavy sadness lingered in her dark eyes, tears that she refused to shed. Her friend was slowly dying; she had known it for some time. Quistis refused to acknowledge she was dying -- she only acknowledged that she was sick, not that she was dying.

Ellone turned away from the glass door that separated her from Quistis, focusing her attention on Shira. 

"Aunty Elle!" Shira's voice cut into Ellone's brooding, and she smiled, bending down to Shira's level to speak with her.

"How are you, Darling?" Ellone asked with a gentle smile. It was obvious that Ellone doted upon Shira, always bringing the child gifts.

Seifer Almasy was, to put it mildly, annoyed. After an almost fruitless search for an engagement ring, he remembered the old Trabian merchant in the shade of the large businesses. The unrelenting heat of the sun made it nearly impossible for Seifer to concentrate.

Giani smiled widely, seeing the man he knew well.

"Almasy! Long time, no see!" He said with his broad Trabian accent.

Seifer smiled. "Not that long, surely, Giani?" he asked with a hint of sarcasm that was quickly masked by a laugh.

"What can I do for you, Seifer?" Giani asked with interest. "I'd say you want the favour of old Giani Allibrandi, no?"

Seifer smirked. "Actually, yes. I want an engagement ring."

Giani let out a deep chuckle. "I knew you wanted something, Seifer. It doesn't take a fool to realise when an Almasy's in love. Is she the one you bought flowers for?" Giani's interest was genuine.

"Quistis, and yes, she's the one I bought flowers for," Seifer said proudly, the grin never leaving his face.

"Quistis?" Giani murmured with interest, "Your lady is Quistis?" He was curious to know how the two knew one another.

Seifer laughed. "We go back two decades, back to our childhood. We were at the same Garden, only she was my Instructor for my last year."

Giani let out a throaty laugh. "The first love, no? Well, the first love is the best love."

Seifer chuckled at Giani's language transition from the standard tongue to his native tongue. It was the first genuine laugh from Seifer in days. Between visits to and from the hospital, looking after Shira, and just generally being the biggest help that anyone could imagine, he was tired. But he never once complained. In a way, he was doing penance for all the times he had been horrible to her in the past.

"Giani, do you have the ring?" he asked, referring a ring that Edea had placed in Giani's safekeeping.

"The ring?" Giani's face clouded for a moment, before brightening into a toothless grin. "Oh--oh! The **ring." He chuckled, "I have it safe."**

Seifer smiled. The eighteen carat gold ring with the solitaire diamond was a possession Edea had told him Giani had in safekeeping for him.

Seifer's parents were the rightful heirs to the ancient Dollet Dukedom. His grandfather, like his father before him. The illustrious Almasy family stretched back to the days before the first Lunar Cry.

According to Edea, Seifer's parents had known their lives were endangered. Fearing for the safety of their son, they put him into the orphanage, safe from harm. It was later discovered that the Duke had been assassinated by a member of his staff. The Duchess was found on the floor, the lifeblood pouring out of her body onto the white granite floor. 

Giani waddled back to behind the stall before reaching for a large black velvet drawstring bag. He checked to see what was inside, before handing it to Seifer.

Seifer took the bag, peeking inside. It held three boxes of varying sizes. The first was slightly bigger than a ring box, the second was large enough to contain a necklace and the third was huge. He took the largest box first, opening it to reveal a heavy tiara, encrusted with rubies, amethysts, diamonds and emeralds. He exhaled in awe. Never once did it occur to Seifer that he was the Duke. The small box contained a single ring, set in platinum with a solitaire diamond ball.  The necklace was an elegant thing, with a deep blue diamond, worth over 150 million gil.  Seifer was awestruck by the sheer magnificence and majesty that was set before him. 

"How did this come to be mine?" Seifer asked as he ran his hands over the necklace gently.

Giani sighed. It was going to take a while for him to tell the story; and even then he wasn't sure Seifer would believe him. "It is a long story, Seifer." Giani said as he waddled back to where he had been before he gave Seifer what was rightfully his. "Do you want to hear it now, or later?"

Seifer smiled, glancing at the watch on his wrist. It was only eleven in the morning. He'd already stopped by the hospital that morning before taking Shira to school. Ellone had come by and taken Shira out of school an hour later, hoping to distract the little girl by taking her to the ponds where the ducks paddled. Seifer had enough time to listen to Giani's tale.

"I'll hear it now," said Seifer finally.

Giani smiled widely, and began to weave the enchanting tale. 

"It was in the days of Sorceress Alexandra that a man named Giovanni Allibrandi took a wife from the prosperous family of the Rosetti clan. She bore him seven children, one of whom was your mother, Alyeena. When Alexandra passed her powers onto Adel, the Sorceress soon took Esthar and Trabia by force. Giovanni feared for the lives of his family, so they moved to the neutral city and Dukedom of Dollet. Gabriel Almasy was the father of six sons, the eldest being the dashing young heir to the Dukedom. His name was Lukyan. When the Duke heard that the illustrious Allibrandi merchant family had moved to Dollet, he immediately summoned the old man to the palace, commissioning him to craft these magnificent jewels that are now yours. Lukyan sought to marry one of the Allibrandi clan's children. Alyeena caught his eye at a ball held to honour Gabriel's Silver Jubilee.

" They danced almost all night, until the hour of midnight. Lukyan became enamoured of Alyeena, and spent the better half of the night after the dance thinking of her, wanting to hold her in his arms and never let go. The next day, Lukyan sought her out, after seeing his father for approval of the marriage. He found her asleep underneath the ferns in her father's courtyard. He thought he beheld an angel; the sheer radiance she emitted was more powerful than anything else he had seen. He woke her gently, speaking soothing words to allay any fears she might have had. I was watching in the shrubs, spying, if you like. They married weeks later, in a lavish ceremony that all of Dollet turned out to see. His gifts to her included the necklace and the ring. 

"When Lukyan and Alyeena had been married for not nearly four years, Lukyan's jealous rival plotted to kill him and his wife." Giani stopped there, "To make a long story short, Seifer, you are their son and the rightful heir to the Dukedom."

Seifer was stunned. There was now no doubt in what Giani had said, and it made sense to him, too. How many times had he heard the name "Almasy" in hushed voices in the Dollet pub, how many times had men bowed to him, making him feel bewildered. It all fell into place for the boy now.

He sat down, almost falling onto his bottom as he did so. It was a revelation he was not quite accustomed to, and never would be until the end of his days.

"I thank you for telling me this, Giani," Seifer said formally, as he inclined his head forwards in a slight bow. "You'll be invited to the wedding."

He spun on his heel, taking the black velvet bag with him. Thoughts whirled like a tornado inside his head as he walked. _He_ was the Duke Almasy. The man on the throne was but an impostor, and he would be dead soon, if Seifer had his way.

He reached for a black device inside his trenchcoat pocket. It was a mobile phone. He punched a few numbers in, and held it to his ear.

"Irvine, it's Seifer," he said, "Can you do me a favour?"

From the other end of the phone, Irvine Kinneas was stunned. He hadn't heard from Seifer since he'd been released from jail seven months ago.

"S-Seifer?" Irvine finally said, "What do ya want?"

"I need you to assassinate someone…all will be revealed in due time."

_A/N. All will be revealed in good time, trust me. Nine chapters down, eleven more tae go! Thanks go to Starlight for her excellent comments and betaing skills!__J_


	10. Chapter Ten The Truth of it All

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

**Chapter Ten**

The Truth of it all 

****

May all love 

_His unseen but felt o'er shadow thee_

_The love of all thy sons encompass thee_

_The love of all thy daughters cherish thee_

_The love of all thy people comfort thee_

_Til God's love set thee at his side again_

Idylls of the King

-Alfred Lord Tennyson

She stood watching the sun fade into night, the sunset pure, like the water. It had been three days since she was released from hospital, the chemotherapy having gone ahead as planned. She had taken time off from work, needing it to rest.

As Seifer came and went, so did a steady stream of friends and visitors wishing her better health than what she had. 

"Mummy?" Shira's voice broke into Quistis's reflections, as she tugged her hand for attention, "Mummy?"

Quistis turned, kneeling down to her daughter's level to speak to her. "Yes, Darling?" she asked softly, gathering her daughter into her arms, enveloping her in a hug. 

"Where's Seifer?" she asked.

Quistis frowned. "He's away…He's gone away for a little while. He'll be home soon though."

She knew exactly where he was, but that knowledge did not ease her pain, nor did it make her happy to know he was on business.

~*~

Seifer Almasy frowned as he boarded the crowded train to head to the Dollet Dukedom. Irvine was to meet him there. As it was at least 20,000 kilometres to Dollet, Seifer had packed a rucksack with clothes and other necessary items.

As the scenery sped by on the intercontinental rail, Seifer thought about a lot of things.

_I guess, in the end, it'll all depend on the people of Dollet,_ he thought, _if they're willing to accept me, Seifer Lukyan Almasy, or if they'll clamour to have my head chopped off and placed on a pike for all of Dollet to see_.

He shuddered at the mental image presented to him. Whatever he was, he did not want his head placed upon a pike. To him, that was crueller than what he had ever done, inhumane, unsanctioned. Even if he'd done and seen some pretty cruel things, that was the worst he could ever imagine.

While he was in prison, he'd had a long time to think. The life he'd led had been tough. As a child, he'd delighted in tormenting Zell and Squall, long before and after Ellone had come and gone, almost like the tempestuous storm that rages only temporarily. 

He soon drifted off to sleep, dreams plaguing him.

Seifer stood in the middle of a desert, the hot sun beating down heavily upon his exposed neck and back as he shovelled a hole futilely. All he wanted to do was get out of the hot sun; into a refuge he built for himself. 

_The scene shifted, he was standing on a beach at midnight, tears streaming down his face as he cried out to the high heavens. He ran his hands through his hair, the waves crashing into his body, one after the other, over and over again. _

_The next thing he saw was a coffin being lowered into the grave, unadorned and mourners standing well away. He tried to move forward, observe those mourners, but they shifted out of shape, into a twisted and grotesque castle._

He saw himself as a knight once more, holding his Gunblade high in the air, upon a float not unlike the one so long ago. He saw, beside him, a woman with grey hair, at least twenty years younger than him.

Seifer awoke then. As his vision readjusted, he noted that the movement of the train had slowed to a halt. Stretching his arms as he stood up, he brushed passed an elderly woman, who, tugged at his sleeve.

"You are Seifer Almasy?" She asked, her voice rusty, like she had smoked for too long. 

He frowned. Usually, he was known for his notoriety as the Sorceress's lapdog. If he was surprised when she knew his name, he was even more unprepared when she continued without waiting for an answer.

"I know what it is you seek, young man. And I can tell you, there will be great rejoicing and happiness to come in your life, but, also, a great sadness," the crone said knowingly.

Seifer was stunned. It took him a few minutes to find his voice. "How do you know this?" he asked.

She chuckled, "I know many things, Seifer," she said. "I am Conna, wise woman, if you wish."

It was then, for the first time, that Seifer took a closer look at the old crone. She was old, past any age that could be achieved from use of the GF, with jet black hair and eyes that shone like stars, undying and never aging. 

He was frightened of her.

Slowly, he turned, away from the woman, and, without one backward glance, walked away into the metropolis that was Dollet.

In the heart of the city, where he had taken the fateful and last SeeD exam, Seifer saw a man in a tan leather military long-coat. 

"Irvine!" Seifer called out, "Glad you could make it."

Irvine turned at the sound of Seifer's voice. "Hello Seifer," he said cordially, "I'm here, just as you requested. What's up?"

Seifer smirked. "Come out of the open, into a café, less people can hear us there," he said with a glance, "There's so much to tell, I don't know where to begin."

The two men walked towards the Nautilus, the inn that had sustained and remained through many varied occupations and attempted invasions of Dollet. It was as old as the city itself, dating back almost 500 years, to the first ruler of Dollet's expansive and vast empire.

Once inside, Irvine and Seifer sat down at a small table in a dingy room inside the Nautilus. It was furnished sparsely; with only a table, two chairs and a bench with a sink and a fridge. The blinds were closed and the light hung suspended from an unshaded cord fastened to the ceiling. 

"I only recently heard the story from a merchant who I know well and trust," Seifer began, kicking his feet up onto the table, leaning his chair against the wall.

"Then tell it, Seifer," Irvine said, "I don't have all the time in the world. Selphie's baby is due any day now, and I'd like to be back in time for the birth of my fourth."

Seifer quirked his eyebrow slightly, hardly surprised at the news. "I see," he said, "Well, it's gonna take some time, and you probably won't believe half of it."

Seifer began to tell the story, telling what he knew from Giani, and also what he'd found out on the shadier parts of the media links. He handed a small sheaf of paper to Irvine.

Irvine took the sheets of paper, scanning them quickly. One of them was a record from the Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths, containing the names of Seifer's parents, their wedding date, a birth certificate registering Seifer as their son and a death certificate. The other documents were eyewitness accounts of Lukyan and Alyeena's murder, newspaper articles and a sepia photograph of Seifer's grandfather and grandmother.

Once Irvine had scanned the papers, he glanced up. "I see," he said finally, "So, you want me to kill the impostor, your uncle?"

Seifer nodded. "Exactly," he said, "Tonight, meet at the Communications Tower around 2100, we'll go from there."

Irvine smiled. "It's a pleasure doing business with you, Almasy," he said.

At 2100, Seifer and Irvine arrived at the Communications Tower. It was later said that the two had agreed to meet there to discuss the assassination. Then, the noise of gunfire rang out, a man came running out from behind the tower, blood soaking his white leather jacket.

_Was it Seifer_?

The answer to that is still unresolved. All the news links knew and had heard was the story of a man wielding an Exeter had shot Tarkin Almasy. However, there was later evidence that proved it was not the same bullets found in the gun that Irvine Kinneas was most famous for.

Seifer headed back to Esthar about two months after the assassination took place. He had to convince the parliament that he was Alyeena and Lukyan's son. He had the jewellery to prove it.

While all this was happening, Quistis gradually faded into feeling like he would never come back for her. Alone, unwanted, and unwell.

However, she knew deep in her heart he would return for her. If he didn't love her so much, she knew he wouldn't. Their love was the type that was sacred, rare, special. It wasn't an every day occurrence to have a man appear from the back of hell and beyond on the day you were least expecting it.

The day soon came when Seifer did arrive back home. "Seifer!" Quistis gasped, as she ran towards him, flinging her arms around his neck, not wanting to let go.

He pulled her close, kissing her on the lips softly as he spun her around. "Love you, Quistis," he said with a smile that was reserved only for her.

Love was good, life was beautiful. There was a calm repose, and a sweet serenity as Seifer knelt down on one knee.

"Quistis Gosia Trepe, will you do me the honour of being my wife?" Seifer asked in a voice that meant he'd go to the ends of the world for her.

She stood there for a moment. Thoughts whirring in her head as she considered it. Of course, the answer was simple.

Opening her mouth, she let out the fateful answer.

"Yes," she said.

A/N. This hasn't been updated for quite some time…Sorry about that… 

_To all my readers, thanks for the encouragement._

_-Quis._


	11. Chapter Elven Bliss

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

**Chapter Eleven**

Bliss 

As Seifer stood there, hearing the word from her mouth, the one that meant everything to him, he slipped the ancient platinum ring onto Quistis's finger. The diamond sparkled in the light, its multi-faceted face shining prisms into the sunshine.

Quistis hugged Seifer, as he lifted her up, spinning her around. In that moment, she felt complete. With Seifer's strong arms around her, she knew that he was the one she loved.

~*~

Shira wandered around the Palace, exploring. She knew nearly every square millimetre of the living quarters, having been allowed free rein when she was only five. But then, with a mother like Quistis, who wouldn't give their daughter the opportunity.

She was alone in the world. Even though she was the apple of her mother's eye, Shira knew deep down that Quistis would desert her eventually. Since she had been two, she had known that her mother was dying.

As she pushed a panel in the wall, she felt the wall slide away. This was her hidey-hole, the one that was her haven, her refuge. The tiny room was only six feet wide by six feet long, more of a cupboard than a room, but to Shira, it was a castle.

Her favourite toys had made their way there at one stage or another. Shira was not lonely with her stuffed companions.

~*~

Seifer smiled briefly before kissing Quistis once more. He carried her gently to their bed, before helping her undress, pulling his own shirt off as he did so. Quistis glanced up at Seifer's muscled chest, the type that a god might have.

Seifer was so gentle with her as they made love that day. Their silence only moved him further, exploring her body with his hands, his firm, but gentle hands. As he slid inside her, they moved together in a perfect symphony.

Their cries became animalistic in nature as they reached their climax, then, slowing down, it became gentle, rhythmic, almost like the sensation of never wanting to leave the ocean on a calm day. 

Soon, they were exhausted, and he withdrew gently. He continued to hold Quistis in his arms, long after she had drifted off to sleep. 

~*~

The next few hours were spent in perfect bliss for both of them. Quistis had found in Seifer the thing she had longed for. A saviour.

There had never been so much love for one another when they'd been cadets at Garden. This was not the same 'puppy love' they had shared for one another back then.

If there'd been a moment when they knew it was their world to do what they would with it, it was now. Seifer knew he'd cherish this time when he looked back on it, years later.

~*~

Shira soon got bored of her wanderings in the secret passageways that led to the sewers below the great city of Esthar. It was a maze to her; one she knew how to work, so that she wouldn't get lost.

Soon she headed back to the familiar door, the one that led her in there in the first place. Once there, she pushed the panel open, finding herself looking down the long red-carpeted hallway.

As the tiny girl headed back to her house, she was stopped by Laguna, who picked her up.

"Hello, Laguna," she said with a smile, wrinkling her nose cutely as she was hoisted onto his shoulders with a carefree laugh.

"The same to you, Shira," Laguna laughed, as he raced the length of the hallway with the daughter of his friend.

Shira squealed with laughter as Laguna took off like a plane. But, like most things, that came to an end. Too soon were they standing before her house, too soon was the door opened.

Quistis heard the door open, hearing the hushed giggles of her daughter and the laughter of Laguna seeping through, into her bedroom.

She crept quietly out, pulling on a satin dressing gown as she did so, as well as brushing her hair softly and quickly.

Opening the door to her bedroom, she gazed at her daughter with affection. As she tiptoed into the kitchen to get a glass of water, Shira heard her.

"Mummy!" she called, running up to her and flinging her arms around her mother's waist.

"Hey honey," Quistis said, as she placed her arm gently around her daughter's shoulders, smiling as she did so.

"I went 'sploring today, mummy," Shira said, an adorable smile showing, one tooth missing where it should have been.

"That's great, sweetie," Quistis said, "Where'd you go?"

"I went 'sploring the sewers underneath the palace," Shira said honestly.

Quistis's face hardened. "Shira Akiko Trepe, how many times have I told you the sewers are dangerous honey? Mummy doesn't want you to get hurt, or even killed."

Seifer was spotted out of the corner of her eye. "Seifer," Quistis said softly, "Tell her that the sewers are no place for her to be roaming."

Seifer laughed. "Of course, Quisty, of course," he said with an impish grin, before turning to Shira and speaking. "Shira, your mother doesn't want you going down there. You might get killed, and then the sewers would stink. Rats might gnaw on your body, and we wouldn't want that, now, would we?" he said sternly, with a glimmer of mischief undetected by Shira.

He rolled his eyes at Quistis, eliciting a giggle from Shira.

"We have some very important news to tell you, Shira," Quistis began, before she was cut off by Seifer, who interrupted her.

"Can't this wait?" he asked quietly, "There's still a lot I need to tell you," he said.

Quistis looked perplexed. Finally, she complied. "Okay," she said finally, "But it doesn't mean I'm not going to get mad at you."

With a smile, Shira left the room unobtrusively. As she did so, the two adults sat down on the couch, Quistis's head in Seifer's lap.

He stroked her hair gently with his hand as he spoke to her about all he had learnt. He filled her ears with the delightful tale of his true birth, that he was the Duke.

"Hence the platinum ring, my dear," he said as he finished the story.

Quistis took in the information silently. It took a while to digest all that he had told her, yet something in the subconsciousness of her mind told her he was telling the truth.

"So, I'm to be a duchess?" she asked softly, with a glance up at his features. _He looks so—handsome, so dashing_, she thought.

He was thinking of the future, seeing for himself a home with Quistis and Shira, and maybe, just maybe, a child of his own.

Shira re-entered the room, looking about for a toy of hers. With a gentle smile, Quistis spoke.

"Shira, Seifer and I are getting married," she said.

Shira squealed in delight.

~*~

Later that week, they were back into their routine. Quistis was back at work, a contented smile on her face, like the cat that had swallowed the canary. It was a glorious spring day when they announced the news to some of their closest friends.

Their reactions had been shocked, surprised, pleased at best. All everyone wanted was for them to be happy.

They were going out that night, to the new pub in Esthar. It was an open microphone night, with no admission or cards needed to get in.

Seifer had a plan. So did Quistis.

Inside, it was dark and dusky, disco strobe lights flashing out in all directions, with a live band playing over the top of the din. To put it mildly, it was worse than a classroom had ever been for Quistis.

Every so often, one or two people would make their way up to the stage. Mainly females, all were singing Eyes on Me, off key at times, too low at others, nobody ever quite perfecting the glissando of notes in the music.

Finally, Seifer could take it no longer. He banged his hand down onto the table, before standing up and walking to the stage. Once up on the stage, his voice rang clear without the microphone. A mild voice that wasn't either base, tenor or baritone. 

"Yeah, I know its kinda late 

_I hope I didn't wake you_

_But what I gotta say can't wait_

_I know you'd understand_

_Cuz every time I tried to tell you_

_The words just came out wrong_

_So I'll have to say I love you_

_In a song_

_Yeah, I know its kinda strange_

_But every time I'm near you_

_I just run out of things to say_

_I know you'd understand_

_Cuz every time I tried to tell you_

_The words just came out wrong_

_So I'll have to say I love you_

_In a song_

_Yeah, I know its kinda late_

_I hope I didn't wake you_

_But what I gotta say can't wait_

_I know you'd understand_

Cuz every time I tried to tell you 

_The words just came out wrong_

_So I'll have to say I love you_

In a song" 

He kept his eyes on Quistis the entire time, while her gaze was locked with his. Ice blue eyes met with green eyes, and smiled.

Once the wolf whistles and catcalls were over, he returned to his seat at the end of the bar with Quistis. 

She stood up, then, heading to the piano to begin to play a simple haunting tune, singing along with it as she did so. Her voice was sweet, melodic, and harmonious.

_"I follow the night_

_Can't stand the light_

_When will I begin_

_To live again? _

_One day I'll fly away_

_Leave all this to yesterday_

_What more could_

_Your love do for me?_

_When will love be_

_Through with me?_

_Why live life from_

_Dream to dream_

_And dread the day_

_When dreaming ends? _

_One day I'll fly away_

_Leave all this to yesterday_

_Why live life from_

_Dream to dream_

_And dread the day_

_When dreaming ends? _

_One day I'll fly away_

Fly, fly away" 

She had tears in her eyes as she left the piano to a sweet round of applause. There was nothing like that same adoration when she had learnt to play it in the first place. 

Back then, people had told her she'd never make it as a pianist. Looking back, she laughed merrily as she resumed her spot in the inconspicuous confines of the bar.

As they left, the pub became very rowdy again, the hushed whispers growing into a loud and unbearable frenzy of voices.

"That was?" someone asked, and was greeted with a nod.

"Aye, that was the Head of Defence and her new boyfriend, Seifer Almasy," a man confirmed, nodding his head sagely.

"Heard they're getting married soon," another voice spoke up, a feminine one this time.

This was met by a pounding of fists on the table, and men shouting.

Luckily for the two lovebirds, they were back home when the bar brawl began.

~*~

With a teasing grin on Seifer's face, he turned to Quistis. "What was that song for?" he asked bemusedly, lacing his fingers together and placing them behind his neck.

"Oh, just because I felt like it," Quistis's offhand answer made him realise he'd fallen for a very complicated woman.

"Sure you are, Quistis Gosia," he said, using her middle name for once.

"Oh, grow up, Seifer **Lukyan**" She retorted with a playful thwap to his head. 

"Me? Never," he retaliated, grabbing her wrists playfully before kissing her fingers softly.

"We need to plan the wedding," was the last words Quistis said before dozing off contentedly.

_A/N_. One Day I'll fly Away_ belongs to Baz Luhrman's _Moulin Rouge_, and _I'll have to say I love you in a song_ is from Jim Croce. I'm not too happy with this chapter…A lot happened in a short time, so I apologise to those who are left feeling confused._


	12. Chapter Twelve One Day I'll Fly Away

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

Chapter Twelve One Day I'll fly away 

By Quis

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me, nope, they belong to the wonderful Square-Enix. 

Quistis smiled, humming a tune, as she packed box after box. She was packing up the story of her life, closing one chapter as she looked around the apartment with sadness. There had been much joy in this small house of hers, since the day she arrived there, two years ago with a daughter on her hip.

How much had changed since that day. There'd been only several dates, none that turned into a relationship, as they could have done. She supposed it was because of the cancer, not wanting to risk a long-term relationship on her illness.

There was nothing of that with Seifer. No pretences, no trying to be someone she was not, he accepted her for who she was, warts and all. That was why she loved him.

A voice floated through the near emptiness of the apartment. "Quistis?" it called, in a soft feminine voice that could only belong to Ellone.

"Elle," Quistis caught her breath in her throat as she saw her sister. Dressed simply in a long black dress, she reminded Quistis of Edea.

"I'm heading back to Centra," Ellone said, "I'm taking over the Orphanage."

If Quistis was surprised, she didn't show it. Somehow, Quistis knew that the life on the balmy Centra coast would be pleasant for her long-time friend.

"Can you wait?" Quistis asked softly, "until after my wedding?"

Ellone smiled gently, "Of course, Quistis," she said.

Quistis hugged Ellone, the simple gesture bringing slow tears to her eyes. She knew that she would not live to see Shira grow to be a mother, the daughter forever being left when Quistis chose to die, giving in to the pain that was so hard to bear at times.

The child that grew inside Quistis every day brought another painful reminder home to her. This baby would never know its mother.__

Quistis knew that she had to go on; if not for the sake of her family, but for the sake of her unborn child.  The sadness that lingered as she looked around the place that had been her home for three years, looking around at the blank walls where there had been portraits.

The walls that had known such joy, such sadness, it pained her to move, pull up her roots once more. She knew it would be inevitable, she'd moved once before when Shira was a tiny baby, to Shumi, then, when Shira was two, they had moved to Esthar.

Quistis remembered that day.

~*~

She had just stepped off the train from Trabia to Esthar, exhausted, with a baby balanced on one hip, trying to hold a bag in the other. Quistis looked around at the train station with disdain. There was a definite air of filth, the city she remembered, as being one of the cleanest in the world was dirty and grimy. 

_Quistis shifted Shira's weight as the child began to cry. She groaned, fishing in her bag for a bottle to pacify the wailing child. As she handed the bottle to her daughter, she spotted a familiar flash of iridescent blue steel._

_Squall. Her breath caught in her throat as she struggled to catch up to him, pushing her way through the crowd. "Squall!" Quistis called as the man in black leather paused._

_"Quistis?" The word came out softly, in a whisper almost. "What are you doing here?"_

_Quistis glared at him. "What do you think, Squall Leonhart? If I'm balancing a baby on one hip and a heavy suitcase in my hand, what do you think?"_

_Squall shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know," he said, "but, here, let me take that for you." Squall picked the suitcase up with ease, before heading out of the station, towards a waiting B-Garden hovercraft._

_"I see you're still with Garden then," Quistis said softly before deciding to ask for charity, "I need a place to stay."_

_Squall nodded curtly, "Yes, I am," he said, "And I married her."_

_Her- Rinoa…The Sorceress. The words that fell from Squall's lips further heightened her pain and betrayal even more. Zone's friend, his princess. Zone…the name was hateful to her now, the man she thought she could love—had tried to love. _

_There was an uncomfortable silence that was soon broken. "Mummy?" Shira's voice spoke, "who's he?"_

_Quistis hesitated. "An old friend, sweetheart. Now, try and sleep, okay?"_

_Shira nodded, nestling her head against Quistis's shoulder, before closing her eyes once more. _

_"So, Squall…Care to tell me what you're doing here?" Quistis asked nastily, "I don't recall you being exactly-uh- sane the last time I saw you."_

_He bit back a rude retort. Quistis was definitely not in a good mood that day._

_"I'm visiting," he said simply, "I can give you a place, Quistis."_

_Steel blue eyes met challenging sapphire eyes, unspoken challenges hidden in both sets. A glimmer of defiance could be seen in Quistis's eyes as she nodded without a word._

_"Fine then," Quistis said, "Show me the way, Commander." Quistis was being sarcastic now, the stress of seeing Squall too much to cope with._

_Squall merely shrugged, "Whatever," he said in a monotone, flat voice. _

_Together, they wended their way through the streets of Esthar, heading for the Presidential Palace. The two found themselves talking, but although they should have quite a bit to catch up on, there wasn't really anything to talk about._

_Soon, the three were standing in Laguna's office. He was smiling at them both, with the official look on his face._

_"Hey," Laguna said sheepishly as he remembered his manners, "Please, be seated."_

_Squall chose to remain at attention, whereas Quistis took the opportunity to sit down._

_"I've come to finalize the negotiations for E-Garden," Squall said with a pompous tone only reserved for this sort of work._

_Laguna nodded disinterestedly, glancing at the paperwork that was piled up in a messy pile all over his desk._

_Squall let an exasperated sigh escape from his lips. "Let's just get it over with," he said tiredly, rubbing a gloved hand across his eyes._

_Laguna smiled. "Sure," he replied._

_The papers were soon signed, dated. An official stamp was placed on them and Quistis signed them as a witness._

_Squall departed. Quistis remained. Laguna smiled sheepishly as Shira woke up from her sleep._

_"She's your daughter?" Laguna asked._

_Quistis could only nod numbly. "I was married," she said, as she pulled her daughter's fingers from her hair._

_"I heard about that… 'Timber's gorgeous young president to be wed', if I remember the newslink headlines correctly," he said with a laugh._

_"I need a place to stay," Quistis said, embarrassed at having to ask for charity._

_Laguna smiled paternally. He reached out, taking Quistis's hand in his. "I will give you a job…and accommodation."_

_Quistis had rapidly moved her way through the ranks of Esthar's parliament after that._

_~*~_

As tears rapidly welled in her azure eyes, threatening to spill over like a cup, she blinked them back. Three years. Three years and she'd accomplished so much. The tastes of her victories had a bittersweet aftertaste, ones that she could not recall without a touch of bitterness, although there was also honey in the cup.

Seifer entered the apartment with a paper bag containing hot jam donuts and a tray consisting of two steaming Styrofoam takeaway cups of coffee.  "Quistis?" he called out, as he walked into the kitchen.

Quistis appeared in his sight soon afterwards. A smile played on pale pink lips, a gentle, loving expression in her eyes.

"I'm here, Seifer," she said quietly, "And I have some news to tell you…" she deliberately trailed off, letting him get curious.

Seifer smiled, wrapping an arm around her waist as he kissed her neck.

"I'm pregnant."

Seifer was shocked. "When?" he asked dazedly, as the information slowly sunk into him.

"The other day…right after then, you remember," Quistis smiled with a coy expression.

Seifer let out a chuckle. He picked Quistis up and spun her around joyfully. Seifer Almasy was not what the type who one would expect to be overjoyed at the news of a baby on the way. Except, he was. He was proud of her.

"Mummy?" Shira's voice wafted through the apartment, "I'm hungry."

"Just a minute, Shira!" Quistis called, breathless from Seifer spinning her around.

Shira followed the sound of Quistis's voice, leading the child into the kitchen. She saw her mother and Seifer locked in an embrace, him spinning Quistis around as she laughed with joy.

"Mummy?" Shira's voice broke the two apart as she looked at them in amaze. _What's mummy doing that for? She wondered, __I never remember her doing this._

"Shira!" Seifer was startled, as he put Quistis on her feet gently. "We need to tell you something important…"

"What is it, Mummy?" Shira asked softly, as she looked around the room.

"You're going to be a big sister."

_A/N. *phew* that's chapter 12 done! Next chappy…* begin wedding march *_


	13. Chapter Thirteen Sonnet of the Mind

**Meeting Love, Finding Despair**

**By Quis**

**Chapter Thirteen**

_Sonnet of the Mind_

_Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and registered trademarks associated with it belong to Square-Enix, 2003. _

_Copyright: Shira Trepe, Seluna Armanti are mine, don't pinch 'em. _

Quistis stood on the balcony overlooking the ocean, watching the sun set behind the huge white clouds billowing overhead. They had arrived in Dollet some weeks ago by ship.  Shira had been excited the whole way, running up and down the deck of the huge cruise liner. 

The lovely scene before her did not escape her attention. She could see Seifer hand a box to one of the men in black suits, as he lifted Shira, running the length of the grand boulevard. She was kicking out at Seifer playfully, squealing with laughter.

_This will change_, a little voice warned her in the back of her mind, _having the child would kill you, do you understand?_ Quistis shoved the voice out of her mind, resuming her watch on the activity that was bustling around her.

She wanted to go on living after her death; and she knew she would. Shira and Seifer would assure her of that. In fact, Seifer had commissioned an artist to paint her likeness onto a canvass, so that she would live forever in paint, if not in spirit.

Smiling, Seifer squinted up at the ethereal beauty that stood upon the balcony, looking, if anything, as though she was a marble statue. Never had there been any moment when he had wished for a different life. His 'true' Romantic Dream had come true—seeing how he failed the first one miserably.

He saw on the balcony, everything he had ever wished for, dreamt about, envisioned in his angel, Quistis Gosia Trepe. Quistis was the epitome of bliss for him. Even ten years of separation could not change that fact.

"Who's that?" One of the removalists asked, glancing upon what he thought was a statue wearing peach battle gear.

"You dolt! That's my fiancée," Seifer said, giving the man a light thwap on the head. "Get back to work, and stop ogling my property!"

A slight glance up at Quistis told him that she was laughing at the antics displayed. Her mouth was turned up ever so slightly in a tiny smile, and the eyes were laughing, joyously.

Seifer walked up the granite steps that led to their opulently furnished living quarters inside the palace. It held Louis XVI furniture, a state bed that was easily the size of a small room unto itself, with the brocaded curtains that hung from the canopy. The Grandfather Clock was there, with Piccadilly Weepers painted elaborately onto the face of the clock. The artwork upon the walls was from men and women of the eras long gone, one even slightly starting to crumble in its ancientness.

There was one painting, however, that caught Seifer's attention, the painting of a woman in a red ball gown. Its name was written on a brass plaque in the long-unused tongue and translated into "Red Dress."

Quistis wandered the rooms, soon growing bored of watching the men unpack. She opened a door that led to the armoury, taking a good look at the dust that had settled. It was lit only with a dying oil torch, which Quistis grabbed from the holder before venturing any further. One foot placed uncertainly in front of the other as she stepped into the armoury. She sneezed. The dust was everywhere, and she had obviously unsettled it.

She ventured further into the armoury. The walls were lined with swords, Gunblades, whips, revolvers, nunchakus, and flails. Suits of plate armour were lined up with precision; each suit gleamed in the light, as though they had been recently polished.

_The palace hasn't been used for years,_ she thought, _this is definitely odd. She shook her head, clearing it from silly thoughts as such, continuing her exploration of her new home. Venturing out of the armoury, she came across a flight of stairs, leading to a towered room, housing a large organ of great magnificence._

She had always wanted a giant piano, and now it seemed as if her childhood wish had come true. Not many people knew she could play the piano, her fingers quick, assured as she walked towards it, before wiping the dust off the stool. Sitting down, her fingers sought out the notes to the melody she knew and loved so well.

The simple, haunting strains of music could be heard from the courtyard below the tower window. Servants glancing up could see through the unshaded window, a solitary figure at the organ, playing the tune that would forever haunt them in their dreams.

_You let your heart fly_

_To the limits of the sky_

_Because you have no one_

_By your side_

_As I strain my ears_

_In the sound of the rain,_

_Words, kept inside,_

_Are buried._

_Staring at the empty skies,_

_These glassy eyes_

_Won't reflect my heart._

_I'm waiting for you_

_Please--_

_Notice me soon._

_One day, surely,_

_You'll open the doors_

_That had been locked,_

_Though I'm at a loss._

_When I locked_

_The box of memories,_

_Something broke and scattered._

_The voices that call out,_

_Even the songs you loved--_

_They don't reach you now._

_One day, surely,_

_You'll lead the boat_

_That's sinking into the darkness_

_Into the light_

She finished the last note before making a glissando of notes that could be heard from the palace to the centre of the CBD. Passers by could hear the voice, see the long golden hair and white dress, but never looking for the identity of the singer and pianist.

To many who heard her sing that day, it seemed like she was a legendary figure. The lady imprisoned in the tower, day after day. Kind of like the Lady of Shallot, who eventually committed suicide because of the unrequited love she held.

Seifer heard the organ from the large grounds, as it played the notes precisely. Smiling to himself, he shook his head, before heading up to the tower, to where the sound originated.

Unconsciously, he retraced Quistis's steps as he wandered the palace, heading wherever his feet led him. As he pushed open a door, he saw, to his utter disgust, a torture chamber, which had been recently used. Rotting corpses still strung up to various torture devices, one of which seemed still to be breathing.

"Is anyone alive there?" Seifer asked, half-heartedly, but scared shitless.

"Help," croaked a dry, parched voice, from the stone prison, its sound listless, devoid of hope, as though it had been waiting for far too long for a saviour.

Seifer took cautious steps towards the origins of the voice in the far left corner of the room. He was surprised at the sight that greeted him.

In the cell, along with several skeletons, stood a weak, shivering, reeking of body odour, Martine. He had changed quite drastically since the Second Sorceress War, since losing his job and position of Garden Master of Galbadia Garden.

"Martine?" Seifer said, surprised, "How the hell did you manage to get here?"

Martine looked up, seeing a scar that was no longer that visible, jade green eyes that betrayed nothing of the thoughts he was thinking. He had seen this man before, he knew that.

"You're Seifer Almasy," Martine said, in shock.

"So? Who were you expecting? The fairy godmother?" Seifer retaliated, before turning serious, "I'll get you out of here, Martine, just hang on."

Martine nodded gratefully, before pushing against the cold iron bars of the cell. Seifer fumbled with the old padlock, before grabbing the nearest small file off the table, and picked away at the lock.

It came open in a few minutes of trying. Martine was relieved to be out of the dank hole that had been his nightmare for months on end. "How long have you been here, Martine?" Seifer asked.

"A few months, maybe. I don't know! The bastard who claimed to be the Duke came to Fisherman's Horizon twelve months ago, wanting to offer me a position in his staff as a military trainer. He double-crossed me, he did!" Martine said, his voice ranging from annoyed, to angry to despondent within a few minutes.

Seifer shook his head. "I'm the true Duke of Dollet, Martine, and as my first official duty, I release you." His voice was steely, determined not to let this sort of torture occur any longer.

Quistis stopped playing her organ, deciding to let her hands rest on her lap, before wandering into the parlour. The parlour was furnished in the modern style; it was painted a lovely lilac shade, and mauve and fuchsia cushions adorned cream leather couches. A single photograph hung on the wall, framed in a black frame, with gold trim around the photograph itself. Quistis took a closer look at the photograph, meeting eyes that were azure as the sky itself, framed with dark brown- almost black, hair, and smiling lips. It was Alyeena, Seifer's mother.

As Seifer wandered through the grand estate, towards the kitchens to see about some nourishing food for Martine, he looked upon an angel. Only, it wasn't an angel, it was her.

Quistis. 

_But she, that rose the tallest of them all,_

_And fairest, laid his head upon her lap,_

_And loosed the shatter'd casque and chafed his hands_

_And call'd him by his name, complaining loud_

_And dropping bitter tears against his brow_

_Striped with dark blood: for all his face was white_

And colourless, like the wither'd moon 

Tennyson, _Morte d'Arthur_

Seifer quoted the immortal words of the poet, as he gazed upon her slender figure, thickness only just showing at the waist, where his- no- their child grew within her.

"It is good to see you, Seifer," Quistis broke the silence that had fallen on the two as they linked hands, strolling through the long avenue in the front of their bedroom. The garden was before them now, and he paused there, lingering with her.

"Shall we?" Seifer asked softly, in a tone he only ever used with her, "We'll marry in this garden."

She turned to him, eyes full of happiness, "Indeed, Seifer, we shall." Her calm voice spoke volumes, as she pushed open the door that led to the garden.

There, under the peach blossoms, the two lovers found solitude was not as lonely as it seemed, the sweetest honey, lonesome in its own deliciousness, was something that this magnificent solitude could be compared to. To them, it was their Utopia, their Eden; their Avalon. It was bathed in sunlight that trickled down through the tree they stood under, it's willowy branches an umbrella. 

Seifer reached out to her, placing an arm around her waist as he drew her closer for a kiss that neither of them would forget.

_A/N. So, I lied? The wedding won't be until at least chapter 15, so that means that there's still seven chapters left. And I was tempted to keep going with this chapter, but decided to end it here. Blame Jane Austen, LM Alcott, LM Montgomery, and Alfred Tennyson for this chapter's fluffiness and utter lack of plot. Kudos to everyone who has reviewed so far, especially to Quistis88 for reasons that she alone knows ^_ ~_


	14. Chapter Fourteen This Crazy thing called...

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

**By Quis**

Chapter Fourteen This Crazy thing called Love 

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and respective trademarks belong to Square-Enix, 2003 

_Copyright: Shira Trepe, Conna, and Seluna Armanti belong to me, Auria and Malice._

Beautiful. In a word, that summed up the blonde woman. She was not tall, per se, but she had elegance and grace that made it a defining point for her old fan club that called themselves Trepies.

If her cobalt coloured eyes and hair the colour of spun gold were classical features, then she had the makings of a goddess. She was the epitome of poise, elegance, grace and even something that was completely undefinable. In a word, she was a goddess. 

Quistis smiled as she glanced in the mirror at the cloud of white chiffon and taffeta that surrounded her, leaving her shoulders bare. A long veil was in place, over her tiara, as well as the necklace that was so old and valuable, around her neck. The Almasy jewels. The tiara that had been in the family for generations, ever since the first Almasy bride received them three hundred years before. She was the last in a long line of brides to receive the jewellery.

Seifer entered the room to see her standing there in white, looking like a statue instead of flesh and blood. "You know," he said, as he walked over to her side, "You look like a statue."

Quistis turned, "Hello, Seifer," she said with a laugh, "I was just trying on these old gowns, in case I might wear one on the night of the coronation."

He smiled. Somehow, Seifer's smiles always made Quistis think of all the times he'd smiled before getting a lecture from her. Secretly, however, Quistis used to love his smiles.

"You won't wear one of those, my darling," he said quietly, "I'll have the dressmaker come by later this afternoon. She'll make you a dress of your choice."

Quistis was not paying attention. She swayed on her feet unsteadily, before stumbling forwards, blacking out.

She did not hear Seifer's shouts of surprise, nor did she feel herself being carried to the bed. She was fading rapidly out of the world, suspended in Limbo.

~

She could make out a shape in the fog. As though it was calling to her, she moved, as if in a trance. Alyeena called out to Quistis, as though warning the blonde of impeding danger. The shape in the fog raised an arm, a gun grafted to the arm, like many old warriors of the First Sorceress War had, aimed it towards her.

'Quistis!' she could hear a voice, turning, she could see Squall, as the blood ran down his chest, from the impact of a bullet.

Quistis turned, and in an instant, she had her old whip, Save the Queen, in her hand. She could not comprehend how it got there, but there was no time to think. She could see in this new greyland an Iron Giant rise from the murky mist, suspended there, immobile. 

Turning, she saw a young man, with dark brown, almost black hair, holding a broadsword as he leapt forwards to brush the shadow of the Iron Giant away from her, as though protecting her.

Quistis knew who he was, as he leapt into the fray. He fought like a man she knew well. It was Seifer's child she saw there, the one she carried inside her. 

'Colum,' her mouth formed the word, it coming out of her in a slow, almost tired breath, 'Thank you.'

He turned to her for the first time. 'You do not belong here, Mother,' he said, a strong conviction in his voice, 'you need to return from whence you came, take this memory, and keep it safe,'

~

Seifer carried the body of Quistis in his arms, as he walked towards where he should have taken her a long time ago, when he found out from her that she had cancer. As he pushed open the doors and walked in, he found himself thinking of precious memories he had of her.

**(May it be an evening star**

**Shines down upon you**

**May it be when darkness falls**

**Your heart will be true**

**You walk a lonely road**

**Oh! How are you are from home)**

~

They were children; around twelve years old. He stood at least five inches taller than her as he held her silver clip aloft, in the air. She tried to grab it from him, only to have him tug it out of her reach.

Quistis frowned. 'This isn't funny, Seifer,' she had said, pouting.

He stuck his tongue out, before doing something completely unexpected. He bent down suddenly, brushing his lips over hers.

~

**(Mornie utulie**

**Believe and you will find your way**

**Mornie alantie**

**A promise lives within you now)**

Seifer continued down the long hallway of the Dollet Hospital, as he followed the bed that carried his Quistis to the nuclear medicine ward. How could he have let her get so sick, how could he have let her forget to take the medicine that sustained her. He hated himself at that moment.

As he glanced up at the doctor's face, he could see the doctor's jaw clench tightly in resolve. The hard ball of tension in Seifer's stomach slowly began to relax itself, knowing that the doctor was as determined as him to aid Quistis.

"Sir?" Seifer's head jerked up as the bed came to a set of double doors.

"Yes?" Seifer's voice was terse, strained, stressed with worry.

"You'll need to wait outside. I'm sorry, hospital rules," the doctor said.

"Do you not know that I am the Duke? My wish is law, and if I say I go with her, then, by all that I hold dear, I will. Nobody will stop me!" Seifer snapped, his veins bulging in his neck as he turned on the doctor. 

The doctor blinked. He could not take the raving lunatic that stood in front of him seriously. Knowing the likeliness of someone dressed in a pair of stubby shorts, a Shearer's Singlet and thongs, claiming to be the Duke Seifer Almasy, it was more than likely that the two had probably just had a hit of heroin, and the woman was not able to cope with it.

"You're a lunatic!" The doctor shouted, not scared of this man that stood in front of him, "You're delusional—mad. Jachan Almasy is the duke!"

"No, you're wrong," said a familiar, rusted voice, and the two turned to face Dr. Helena Moriarty, standing there, looking like M, from a James Bond movie.

She conveyed an aura of power that Seifer could feel, radiating off her. Somehow, Seifer knew 'Helena' was not who she claimed to be.

"You're here," Seifer said, dazedly, "How'd you know to come to Dollet?"

Helena smiled much like the proverbial cat that had just swallowed the canary. "Are you not surprised to see me here, Seifer?" she asked, her voice peppered with sarcasm and a touch of sugar was thrown into the mix, creating a confusing concoction of a tone.

"Conna…?" Seifer wondered.

Conna nodded. "I'm glad you worked it out, Seifer," she said, "I masqueraded as Helena, only to gain your trust. It was easy. And, yes, Quistis will survive this lot of chemotherapy, I have cast such strong spells upon to ease her suffering."

Seifer stepped back, "There's no hope, is there?" he said, despairingly, "There's no hope for her and my child…"

**(May it be shadows call **

**Will fly away **

**May it be your journey on **

**To light the day **

**When the night is overcome **

**You may rise to find the sun)**

Conna placed a slim finger along her jaw, studying Seifer with an intense gaze. She knew that Quistis and the child would survive this time, but the Fates had decreed that she, the mother, would die, for the child to be the one who would become Ultimecia.

"She will survive," Conna said in her rusty voice, "And your son is going to live a long life. As for the daughter, there is a dark prophecy that tells of a darker time."

"What prophecy is that?" Seifer's interest was gained, as he was curious to hear about the prophecy that surrounded his eventual stepdaughter's future.

Conna smiled her wise smile. "Are you sure you want to hear it?" she asked.

Seifer glanced at Quistis, lying there so pale on the bed, her white skin pallid, almost as though Death had her in its grasp, and she was struggling not to give in to the oblivion that awaited her through painless, empty sleep.

"Cure Quistis, Conna, I just want her to be here for me, and she has to survive, she just has to," Seifer's desperate plea was in the tone of his voice.

~

Quistis took another step forwards in the new greyland. She was starting to lose her grip on this place as she tripped over a rock, sending her sprawling onto her bottom. She heaved a sigh as she stood up slowly, brushing the cloud of dust away. 

She could see the figure of Raine as she had been seen last. Taking a cautious step forwards towards the form, she halted as Raine lifted a hand.

"You don't belong here yet, Quistis," Raine said softly, "It's not your time to die."

Nodding, Quistis turned numbly. "I understand," she said, in a flat monotone voice.

Turning away from Raine, she headed back through the smoky grey, back towards a monolith that appeared to spring out from the ground. Perhaps it had already been there for years, perhaps for centuries. She walked towards it, fearless and a new boldness overcoming her as she stepped up to it, touching it.

The monolith shimmered as she touched it, the iridescent purple changing into a shimmering dark blue, the first colours she had seen since entering this greyland.

~

**(Mornie utulie**

**Believe and you will find your way **

**Mornie alantie**

**A promise lives within you now **

**A promise lives within you now)**

It had been days since Seifer had left the hospital. Constantly, he sat by her side, not wanting to leave in case she awoke to find him gone. As he kept a vigil, he saw her head move slightly. 

A shout of joy erupted from his throat, an exultant crow, as Quistis opened her eyes. The unfocused irises and foggy gaze seemed to linger slightly upon Seifer's face.

"Quistis," he said, "Thank Hyne you're awake!" Seifer's face leapt to life with the sudden change. The ugly IV drips stuck in her arm made no difference to him as he kissed her gently on the forehead. 

She smiled as she saw his familiar features.

"I saw our baby," she said, "And it's going to be a fine, healthy boy…"

He laughed then, hugging her to him tightly. Somewhat cryptically, he muttered, "Conna's magic is what saved you, Quistis Gosia."

Quistis heard the mutterings of Seifer, curiosity prickled by the cryptic comment. "Conna?" The question was plaintive, a quiet murmur in the dimly lit hospital ward.

"Helena," Seifer smiled, "Helena is Conna, the same woman who looked after you in Esthar. She's the Sorceress of great Compassion, she saved you with her magic."

Quistis smiled weakly as she lay back on her pillows, the bed placed into a sitting position. She could sit up, but the efforts were exerting for her.

"The son we shall have," it was a quiet murmur that Seifer had to strain his ears to hear, "His name will be Colum Darien Seifer Lukyan Trepe-Almasy. He is going to be dark haired, like Alyeena was."

Seifer brought his lips to hers, kissing her softly.

"I'll be well enough for the wedding," Quistis mumbled drowsily, before falling asleep in Seifer's arms. 

A/N. Song used is May it be by Enya. Next chapter…Well, let's just say things are gonna speed up. 


	15. Chapter Fifteen I Won't Last a Day Witho...

Meeting Love, Finding Despair  
  
By Auria, Quis and Malice  
  
Chapter Fifteen  
  
I won't last a day without you  
  
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy belongs to Square Europe, I won't last a day without you belongs (as far as I know,) to Utada Hikaru, and the vows come from www.ultimatewedding.com/vows  
  
The dresses can be found here:  
  
Quisty's: http://www.screensavershot.com/misc/wedding.jpg  
  
Bridesmaid: http://www.theeveningstore.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/cgi-local/smpagegen.exe?U+scstore+fpvx1538ff00fc00+-c+scstore.cfg+-p+4322  
  
The day dawned bright and early, with the first golden rays of sun peeking over the pale band of clouds on the horizon. Quistis sat at her desk, wrapped in a white satin dressing gown, her long hair loose and flowing around her shoulders.  
  
Her thoughts lay wrapped around her day of days; her wedding day. It was with great trepidation that she brushed her hair out, the long golden tresses catching the light. Standing up, she walked to her wardrobe, in which her long, ancient dress was housed, sitting there, perfectly, on a mannequin.  
  
It was long, with the skirts billowing out around the bodice, with tiny, pearl buttons that cascaded along the back of the dress. The long skirt was supported by a crinoline, and held in place by strips of linen tied around the waist. The great, regal ivory dress was nearly the same age as the dukedom itself.   
  
Quistis smiled as she opened the bathroom door. The large Jacuzzi-like tub was nearly as big as a small room itself, the pristine white ceramic sink was deep enough to be a baby's bathtub, and the pale peachy-pink walls were decorated with cherub motifs around the edges where the tiles sat.   
  
As she turned the taps on for a relaxing soak in the bathtub, she felt a small pang of regret. It was unfair of her to be marrying Seifer, but she also held onto this small ounce of belief that it was better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.  
  
She sighed, coming to the decision. It was wisest to marry for love, than to be miserable.  
  
~*~Five Years Ago~*~  
  
She stood in front of the small registry desk, the papers in front of her as she filed for a swift divorce. It was enough. She couldn't take it any longer. Zone, while he loved her- or at least claimed he did, was not the man she could spend her entire life with. The marriage had been a mistake.  
  
Quistis had always kept her maiden name, and had given her daughter, Shira, the name she wanted. As it was the custom in Timber, the child was almost always given to the mother after a divorce—and this one was no exception. Shira was too young to leave her mother, at ten months old.  
  
She waited there. He hadn't even bothered to turn up to the registry office on time. She snorted, 'how typical', she thought, 'the bastard doesn't even show up for his divorce'.  
  
A set of hurried footsteps could be heard in the hallway, and soon enough, Zone entered.  
  
"Why are you late?" Quistis hissed through her teeth as she smelt the alcohol reeking off him.  
  
"I went to the pub…Quisty, it's only five o'clock," Zone said with full cohesion.  
  
"You're drunk, Zone," Quistis snapped, "And sign the damned papers, will you? I've been waiting to get the hell out of here for the past three and a half hours. Zone, that's right, you were supposed to be here at 1430, and it's now five."  
  
Zone nodded, as he placed his fingers to the pen, picking it up as he stumbled around, fumbling for a moment as he shook his head, then, signed the papers.  
  
"Goodbye, Zone…" Quistis said quietly, "I'm leaving Timber tonight, with Shira."  
  
~*~  
  
The bath soothed her as the taut firmness of her stomach made her smile. She was going to be a mother again, and she would enjoy every moment of it. As she relaxed, she thought of all the possibilities and aspirations of being a mother and wife to Seifer Almasy and his child.  
  
Glancing up to the knock on the door, she smiled as Seifer entered. She knew that it was supposedly bad luck for the bride and groom to see one another on their wedding day, but she threw caution into the wind.  
  
"Hey, gorgeous," Seifer said, as he stripped naked and joined her, "You ready for the big day?"  
  
Quistis laughed as he slid into the tub, their bodies so close, intertwining as though they were one body, one entity, one heart.  
  
He held her for the longest time, as they lay suspended there in the water. He was hers; she knew that. Even when they were young, she knew, somehow, that she would end up marrying him. Jade green eyes locked on azure blue eyes, as Seifer looked down at the woman, who, after this day, would be forever his.  
  
As the water began to cool, Quistis disentangled herself from Seifer, getting out without any trace of modesty. There was no need to be modest around her husband.  
  
She could feel his scrutinizing gaze upon her as she moved to get her robe for the sake of convention. Already into her fourth month of pregnancy, she knew the baby was due in late March, early April; an autumn baby.  
  
As she walked into her room, the white dress seemed to glow ethereally as the sun touched the silken fabric. It was a beautiful long dress, ancient, but definitely pretty.  
  
Rinoa Leonhart, Xu Wang, Selphie Kinneas and Ellone Loire were already in preparation when she arrived downstairs for breakfast. Rinoa looked pregnant, but radiant as she buttered toast and made hot drinks for the adults and cold glasses of fresh orange juice for the excited children.   
  
Sean Leonhart was a replica of his father in looks. He took after Rinoa in personality, being sweet tempered and compassionate. His warm brown eyes were fastened on the dainty figure of Shira Trepe.  
  
Selphie's four children consisted of three daughters, and a much longed for son. Sora-Yunalesca, the eldest, was eight, with the same hair as Irvine, and the tiny frame of her mother's. Ellone Kathleen Kinneas was six, a sweet-tempered child, who was as sunny as Selphie had ever been, and then there was a two year old, Emmaline. Her son, Fion was in her arms, and his tiny face was such a replica of hers that it was cute.   
  
"Good morning, ladies," Quistis said as she surveyed the busy, large kitchen, looking around with happy eyes.  
  
"Quisty!" Selphie exclaimed, as she balanced her son on her hip. Quistis smiled, picking up Emmaline as she did so.  
  
"What a beautiful child, Selph," Quistis said, stroking the soft downy curls on Emmaline's head.  
  
"Thanks…." Selphie's voice trailed off, as she saw Yuna do a back flip off the table. "Sora-Yunalesca! What the hell do you think you're doing?"  
  
Yuna landed the back flip, "Nothing, mummy…Sean asked me if I could do one, and I just did one," she said, "I know I shouldn't have back flipped off Aunty Quisty's table, but I had to. Sorry Aunty Quistis!"  
  
Quistis smiled at the apology. "It's ok, Yuna," she said kindly, "As long as you don't do it again."  
  
A chiming clock in the far off regions of the palace told them it was almost time to get ready for the day. The four girls, along with their various children in tow, hurried through breakfast, stopping every now and then to pour their children more juice, or get another piece of toast.  
  
It was almost midday by the time they were finished with breakfast. The children and mothers hurried towards Quistis's rather large bedroom suite, while Sean Leonhart went with his father.  
  
"Ohmigosh, Quisty!" Rinoa squealed, as she saw the folds of fabric that belonged to her gown. "You're going to look divine!"  
  
Quistis smiled, as Selphie's three daughters rushed into the bathroom, chattering excitedly with Shira.  
  
"Mummy's getting married!" Shira exclaimed jubilantly, as she sat on the child-sized stool. "I'm getting a father who actually cares about me," she added to herself, in a whisper.  
  
Yuna, being the compassionate child she was, hugged Shira. "That's great…my mummy and daddy have been married for ten years!"  
  
Shira laughed. It was the first time she'd had friends near her own age. Back in Esthar, Sean was a regular visitor, but, he was a boy, and, in her opinion, yucky. "Shira, Yuna, come get dressed!" Quistis called, as she stood, half-dressed, in her corset and hoop skirt, her hair twisted into an elegant French-knot, the customary strands framing her face were tucked into the knot.  
  
The two girls slid off the stool, hurrying into the bedroom, where they saw the dresses. They were powder puff pink, the skirts having tiny pink pearl beads sewn on by hand. The delicate sleeves were made from what seemed to be a tight stretchy fabric, also in a delicate shade of pink.  
  
The four little girls stood there, each dressed in identical pink dresses, their hair swept into cute little buns, as if for ballet. It was soon that Cid poked his bespectacled head in the door, as Edea smiled at her daughter, the last of them, to get married.  
  
~*~  
  
Seifer shifted his weight from one foot to the other, nervously as he adjusted his bowtie once more. Stern and imposing in a suit of completely charcoal black, he looked almost out of place with his long blonde hair pulled neatly back in a ponytail, similar to Irvine's.  
  
"Where's Mummy?" Sean asked, running across the large room and over to Squall, who, kneeled down to tie his son's tie.  
  
"She's with the girls." Squall replied. "Now would you please be still?" Sean had just scrambled out of his father's grasp. Squall grimaced as his livewire son, who seemed so much more like his mother and grandfather than him, playfully poked his father.  
  
Irvine snickered from the corner of the room, as he adjusted his tie.   
  
"Where's Nida?" Seifer suddenly asked. "He was supposed to be here thirty minutes ago!"  
  
"Calm down man, I'm sure he'll show." Zell said.  
  
"Dad, am I gonna get to hand the rings to Mummy?" Sean asked rather loudly, tugging at the bottom of Squall's tuxedo jacket.  
  
"No Sean," Squall said with a sigh, removing his son's little hands from his tux. "You'll take the rings up to Seifer and Quistis, then stand next to Shira. I thought we went through all of this at rehearsal?"  
  
Sean walked over to Irvine, completely ignoring at least half of what Squall had said. "Watcha doin'?"  
  
Irvine looked up from his focus on his guitar strings. "Oh, just tuning." he said. He started to strum,   
  
"Can I try?" Sean asked excitedly.  
  
"Sean, please-" Squall was starting to plead, but was cut off by Zell.  
  
"Hey kiddo, wanna see a trick?" Zell asked, walking over a kneeling next to Sean.  
  
The little boy's face lit up excitedly, as Zell whispered the trick to him.   
  
"Please, Zell, don't get him more hyped than he is..." Seifer said, trying to save the situation, as Sean started to punch the tattooed man with all he could. Seifer threw up his hands in defeat as Nida entered the room.  
  
"Er…sorry I'm late…I must have gotten lost," he said, flustered as his hair stood up in a few places. Behind him, Xu could be seen, with an embarrassed grin on her face.  
  
"He got confused," she said kindly, as she followed her husband in. "I had to help him find the way."  
  
Nida blushed, as his wife tied the knot in his tie for him. "Now, I must get back to Quistis and the girls, alright?" Xu said quietly, before slipping back to the other side of the palace.  
  
~*~  
  
The first strains of the song could be heard from the gardens as the guests started to file in from the various locations around Dollet. Friends from all over the globe had turned out to see what was said to be the wedding of the century. Reporters and the paparazzi had been turned away at the gates by stern looking SeeD officials and officers hired to protect the privacy of the wedding.  
  
Even if it was the wedding of a duke to a consort, it was still an auspicious moment in history. It had been said that the wedding of Lukyan and Alyeena had been grander, but this one surpassed it all by the sheer sweetness of the whole affair.  
  
At the altar, roses were strewn. The whole garden seemed to have an enchanted aura about it, as everything seemed magical. The palest band of stars was just beginning to make its way into the sky, as the little candles along the aisle flickered with soft light.  
  
Seifer turned to Squall in desperation. "Why are they taking so long?" he whispered in a hushed, terse voice.  
  
"Relax, Seifer," Squall said, "I remember the same nervousness…it's not that bad, trust me."  
  
Seifer seemed to visibly relax at that. Slowly, the music began to reach the crescendo, with the simple, yet beautiful song, played by the renowned songstress, a woman known as Aly O'Donahue began to sing.  
  
Day after day I must face a world of strangers  
  
Where I don't belong  
  
I'm not that strong  
  
It's nice to know that there's someone  
  
I can turn to  
  
Who will always care  
  
You're always there  
  
When there's no getting over that rainbow  
  
When my smallest of dreams won't come true  
  
I can take all the madness the world has to give  
  
But I won't last a day without you  
  
So many times when the city seems to be  
  
Without a friendly face  
  
A lonely place  
  
It's nice to know that you'll be there if  
  
I need you  
  
And you'll always smile  
  
It's all worthwhile  
  
Touch me and I end up singing  
  
Troubles seem to up and disappear  
  
You touch me with the love you're bringing  
  
I can't really lose when you're near (when you're  
  
near)  
  
When you're near, my love  
  
If all my friends  
  
Have forgotten half their promises  
  
They're not unkind  
  
Just hard to find  
  
One look at you and  
  
I know that I could learn to live  
  
Without the rest,  
  
I found the best  
  
I won't last a day without you.  
  
As the children walked down the aisle, followed by the four bridesmaids, Seifer felt his breath catch in his throat. He could just make out the slender form of his Quistis as she entered on the arm of Cid.  
  
Tears welling up in her eyes as she held her small bouquet of yellow roses, she let go of Cid's arm as they reached the altar.  
  
Glancing up into Seifer's eyes, she saw, reflected in those jaded depths, the words, feelings and love that she knew so well. How many nights had she lain in bed, wishing all this would happen, that a prince would come and sweep her off to live with her in his castle happily ever after; it seemed that her wish had come true. The disgraced knight turned out to be her prince.  
  
Seifer saw in Quistis's bluest of blue eyes the tears that were not from unhappiness, but, rather, from sheer joy. He had always wished for a damsel to save, and he had finally found her. She was his Queen, and he, her humble knight, much like the legends he loved reading. He had wanted her for so long, not because she was unattainable, but, because he loved her.  
  
The old celebrant at the altar smiled benevolently upon the happy congregation, as he began the age-old ceremony that he had said once before to Alyeena and Lukyan on their day of days.  
  
"Dearly beloved…we come here to witness the holy matrimony of Seifer Lukyan Almasy to Quistis Gosia Trepe, on this ninth day of November. If anyone has any objections to why this couple should not be joined together in holy matrimony, speak now, or forever hold your peace."  
  
At this, the audience stayed silent. The celebrant continued. "Seifer, I believe you have your vows to say?" he said, almost paternally.  
  
Seifer smiled, as he began to recite.   
  
"When you are sad, I will dry your tears.  
  
When you are scared, I will comfort your fears.  
  
When you are worried, I will give you hope.  
  
When you are confused, I will help you cope.  
  
And when you are lost, and can't see the light,  
  
I will be your beacon, shining ever so bright.  
  
This is my oath; I pledge to the end.  
  
Why you may ask?  
  
Because you are my lover and friend"  
  
As he finished, he glanced into Quistis's eyes, to see tears pouring down her cheeks in pure happiness. He knew, then, that he loved her more than life itself, and would spare her any pain that was not caused by the illness.  
  
"Quistis, I ask you to recite your vows to Seifer," the celebrant said again after Quistis had regained a little of her composure.  
  
"As we face the future together,   
  
I promise to stand by your side.   
  
I promise to unfailingly share and support your hopes, dreams and goals.   
  
I vow to be there for you always.   
  
When you fall, I will catch you.   
  
When you cry, I will comfort you.   
  
When you laugh, I will share your joy.   
  
Everything I am and everything I have is yours,   
  
From this moment forth and for eternity."  
  
She glanced up at his troubled eyes, seeing reflected there, nothing but pure and undying love. 'I love you', she mouthed, and got the same reply from him in the silent exchange.  
  
Stepping towards the altar, the two separate bodies, sharing two hearts that seemed to be intertwined with one another from the day they met again in Quistis's office that fateful January morning, kneeled while they lit two candles.  
  
"Seifer and Quistis, the two lighted candles symbolize your separate lives, your separate families and your separate sets of friends. I ask that you each take one candle and that together you light the center candle. The individual candies represent your individual lives before today. Lighting the center candle represents that your two lives are now joined to one light, and represents the joining together of your two families and sets of friends to one. The lighting of the center candle represents not only the union of Seifer and Quistis in marriage, but the unity formed in this new family in which your lives will now shine as one family," the celebrant intoned, somewhat chanting the sacred words as he held two bands of white gold up to the sky, blessing them as he sprinkled water lightly over the two blondes.  
  
"Seifer Lukyan Almasy, do you swear under the sacred bond of Hyne that you will protect your wife?" he asked, as he handed a small band of white gold encrusted with a solitaire diamond to Seifer.  
  
Seifer nodded, slipping the ring onto Quistis's finger.  
  
She stood there, in trepidation, waiting for him to place the simple band of gold on her hand. The doubt, hesitation and fear that was always present, seemed to vanish in that instant. She was his, and she always would be. Their love could endure even death.  
  
Quistis smiled as she looked at the ring, as she slipped the band over Seifer's finger.  
  
As the celebrant watched and said the necessary words, he observed the chivalry that the Duke was showing his Duchess. The love he saw was rarely present in most of his ceremonies. He had seen many wedding sermons, but none as sweet as this one.  
  
"I pronounce you man and wife," he said, finally, "You may kiss the bride."  
  
Seifer didn't need to lift a veil. She didn't need to wait for him to lift a veil. His fingers caressed her cheek as he kissed her gently on the lips as the gathered guests slowly began to clap.  
  
Shira, who, was standing next to Sean while all this happened, suddenly hugged him. That surprised Sean, who, was, despite having inherited his mother's carefree attitude, introverted when it came to girls. He promptly kissed her sweetly on her the cheek, eliciting a few rounds of "awww," from the congregation.  
  
There, in a moonlit garden, miles away from her first wedding, which was a registry office affair, she celebrated her second marriage, the unity of the knight and sorceress. Or, in this case, the knight and his princess, who, after many trials and triumphs had emerged victorious.   
  
The wedding seemed to go on eternally. It was a giant, titanic-scaled wedding, with the reception lasting well into the wee-small hours of the next morning.  
  
Across the ocean, miles away from anywhere, two lovers were celebrating their honeymoon.  
  
There was no other love  
  
None save one  
  
A love that endured the whips  
  
And the pangs of time  
  
It was purity within itself  
  
So innocent and right  
  
And there was nothing else to say  
  
Except to wish them a very happy  
  
Wedding day.  
  
It was their day of days  
  
The one day of the year  
  
When they were reminded  
  
Of just how much  
  
They needed, longed and hoped for  
  
Love to come to them  
  
So saying this  
  
The lovers fled  
  
Into the  
  
Flowery bed that none but them knew of  
  
It was true love  
  
It was first love  
  
It was eternal  
  
Everlasting  
  
Immortal  
  
Love  
  
Love that would not  
  
Die.  
  
A/N. Ending poem by me. I had a whole load of trouble with this chapter, but thanks go to Quistis88 and Mari for helping me through this (by means of encouragement while I was bitching and moaning about writing this chapter to both of you on MSN), you girls meant the world to me when you kept telling me it was great. Thanks go to Auria, for writing part of it. You guys made this all the easier to write. To all my excellent reviewers, thank you so much. I had to reformat the computer cuz of virtual memory problems (which, my brother informs me, had nothing to do with how much actual free space I had), so, thank god I had a copy of the fic on FF.Net to download again.   
  
To Quistis88 for being the first to read this chapter, and love it.  
  
Love and huggles to all my reviewers.  
  
-Quis. 


	16. Chapter Sixteen Gentle Hearts and Warm P...

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

By Quis

Chapter Sixteen

_Gentle Hearts and Warm People_

_Disclaimer: The usual legal yada-yada. Don't own anything. Don't claim anything except Shira, Seluna, Colum and Conna (and the kids of Selphie, Irvine, Squall and Rinoa)_

_This chapter is dedicated to my good friend Connie. Without her encouragement, this chapter would never have been written. Thanks, Conna!_

Duchess Quistis Almasy stood overlooking the clear expanse of ocean. She was heavily pregnant, but that did not stop her from enjoying the view. The salty air was refreshing, as it wafted over her, tantalizing her senses and the wind tickled the sand dunes.

Her large belly was taut, as she rubbed it, tenderly feeling the kicks, and the smallest movements were enough to send the woman into fits of glee. She couldn't believe that she'd made it to this point. 

Suddenly, she felt a cramp. Her stomach contracted, and retracted, and Quistis knew that she was going into labour. Her hands went out, as though trying to steady herself from the onslaught of pain.

_Hyne please help me_, she thought, _protect my children and me_.

Her aide, a short, fat, jolly old lady was by her side immediately. She smiled at Quistis, and took her hand, gently leading the younger woman inside. With her age at about fifty-three, she had served the palace since she was a young girl of fourteen.

"Lie down, lovey," she spoke the words soothingly, as she helped Quistis lie down. Trustingly, Quistis lay down on the bed, pillows supporting her back. The old woman smiled, leaving Quistis alone to page Seifer.

_The Duke needs to know_, she thought, with a loving smile. 

Turning to the phone on the wall, she punched in the number. Tapping her foot, and casting worried glances back to Quistis, she waited for the head staff member to put her through.

"Alec, it's Charlou…Don't give me that nonsense, Alec! Put me through to the Duke, his wife's in _labour _for Hyne's sake!" Charlou snapped at the retainer.  
  


Alec, on the other side of the line, groaned. Charlou could be difficult when she wanted to be, and this was no exception.

"Charlou, he's in a meeting…you expect me to just waltz into the House of Lords to get him?" Alec replied patiently, as he placated his old friend. "Besides, you should really stay with Quistis."

Charlou sighed, resigned to waiting for Alec to call. "Fine," she said, hanging up.

The short woman waddled back towards the panting and puffing Quistis. A sympathetic expression registered on the old woman's face. 

Seifer was however, engaged in parliamentary debates. The latest debate that was presented to him was the issue of his one-time war crime stint.

"I don't see the point in condemning me," he said, "What's it going to prove?"

An old man, named Simon Crean spoke up. "I don't either," he said, his voice powerful, in contrast with his small stature. 

"Well, it was _ten_ years ago…Can't we let it rest at that?" Seifer frowned, as the pager at his waist beeped. "Look, I'd better go, Quistis needs me."

Turning, Seifer strode out of the oak-panelled room. Down one corridor he went, and down a flight of stairs. He was heading towards their room. Charlou met him at the door, and smiled fleetingly at him.

He gave a terse smile back, flinging open the door to see Quistis standing up, walking around, while trying to keep the pain from showing in her face. She always tried to be brave.

Now was the time of truth. He placed a gentle hand on her back, gently massaging her shoulders.

_Hyne,_ Seifer prayed, _don't take her from me…_

Quistis had glanced up briefly when Seifer entered the room. She knew he wanted to be there, with her…

_Two days later_

Seifer held the small, blonde haired baby boy in his arms. A smirk, one that might have seemed out of place to anyone who did not know him, was apparent on his face. Their son, Colum Darien Seifer Lukyan Almasy had been born at three am on the twelfth of April, weighing seven pounds, three ounces. One would not really expect Seifer Almasy, former knight and traitor to have pride for a family, nor would one picture him as a family man. But he was.

Colum stirred in Seifer's arms as he thought about that. It dawned on him that regardless of the outcome, Colum, Shira and Quistis were his family, and would be until death did them part.

Quistis smiled wanly, Colum's birth had taken a lot out of her. It was the naming ceremony today. Tradition held, that two days after the birth of a member of the royal family, the country and the world would be aware of it. Now, standing dressed in robes that shimmered in the light, her coronet on her head, and the sceptre in her hand, she realized what it meant, and for the first time, she fully appreciated the symbolism of the day. 

Another Almasy. Another reign. Hopefully, this one would bring a long awaited peace to the tattered Dukedom. Seifer had already proved that this would be a time of long-awaited peace and prosperity. For years, since the murder of Lukyan and the ascension of the usurper, Dollet had lived on tenterhooks.

The sunlight filtering in through the stained glass windows of the cathedral had never been prettier. The dappled light spread on the assembled congregation made the world seem rose hued.

The benevolent old celebrant, who had married them, now led them through the rites of passage for their son. Only twice before had he witnessed such tenderness. Normally, naming ceremonies were lavish affairs. However, seeing the simplicity, yet subtle wealth around him, he was pleased with this. The child would bring hope to a tattered dukedom. A dukedom that was still picking up the pieces from the Sorceress War ten years ago.

"As this child, Colum Darien Seifer Lukyan Almasy, future heir to the Dukedom is named today, let us take a minute to reflect upon the past, and the hope that now resides within this child."  His smile was genuine, as he took the child from Seifer's arms, holding Colum above his head.

Like a scene that plays in so many different movies, the knight and his damsel smiled and embraced one another. For a long time, Seifer held Quistis. Their tears, mingling with smiles, seemed to be right.

Bending down to kiss Quistis, he knew it was right. The world's hope lay in their rule, and Seifer understood that. Tonight was their official coronation.

_That Night_

Revellers, masked dancers, musicians, jugglers and other various forms of entertainers gathered in the large, opulent banquet hall. Dancers in their finest attire danced as though they had not a care in the world.

Quistis held her son tightly, as though fearing for his safety if he was let out of her sight for one minute. Burping him, she smiled out at the crowd. They all looked so happy and free.

Shira, the little princess, was flitting around the ballroom in the arms of several trusted staff members and advisors of Seifer. Her long hair was out, it's natural wavy blonde curls flowing down her back. Her cute little dress was fairy floss pink, with tiny blue beads sewn along the hem of the skirt. All in all, she looked every bit the dainty little princess.

Seifer smiled graciously at the nurse, as she took the tiny baby from Quistis. With a laugh, the young Duke extended his hand to his wife. If there were one thing he was going to do, it would be to have a dance with Quistis.

Laughing and blushing graciously, Quistis allowed herself to be led onto the dance floor. She wore a gown of ruby red, her hair swept up into her classic hairdo, the strands at the front a reminder of days gone by. The beaded camisole glittered in the light; it's intricate patterns shimmering with the movements.

This was how it was supposed to be. It was also the last dance Quistis ever attended.

_A/N…Sorry for the delay. I kinda almost abandoned this fic, until I got a sudden burst of inspiration. I'm sure you don't want to hear excuses, so I'm not going to give you any._

_As I have said before, thanks go to my good friend, Connie. Her fics and vocalizations are stunningly beautiful, so check her stuff out! **www.fanfiction.net/~quistis88**_

_Love and huggles to all my readers_

_Quis. _


	17. Epilogue

Meeting Love, Finding Despair

**By Quis**

**Epilogue**

I will always remember the night my mother died. I can still hear her shrieks of pain as she battled the demons she faced constantly, and I was only twenty-one. A mother isn't supposed to die before her children are old enough to fully comprehend the situation. I'll never forgive those bastards, the SeeD, scourge upon this land. Never.

I don't really remember the funeral. The day has forever been blacked out in my memory since the day Sean gave me his father's ring, Griever; the great, lionhearted Guardian Force.

The life of millions changed when Sorceress Rinoa Leonhart died. Some say she was murdered, others, say she died of tuberculosis. However, the suspicions do not matter now. I, Shira Akiko Trepe-Almasy was the chosen successor of Rinoa's powers.

And then, the man who I thought of as my father, Seifer Almasy, was found dead in his room. Apparently, he'd been murdered by Tarkin Almasy's son, Riordan, my cousin. Riordan had never forgiven the insult that Seifer did to him by refusing him as an heir to the Dukedom. As such, I was the one to find him. That's right, I found the man I thought of as a father, dead.

Tears streamed down my face, as I bid farewell to my parents. Luckily for me, my childhood friend, knight, and protector, Sean, stood next to me, holding my hand as the casket containing my father's body was borne to the Almasy vault, where all the other Almasys had been buried. 

My brother, Colum, committed suicide at the age of nineteen. Such a tragic end for the hope of the Dukedom. He was found with his father's gunblade impaled in his stomach. I knew Col held doubts for his future, and again, I cried for the loss of my brother.

Again, Sean was there to comfort me. I had asked him, long ago, after receiving his mother's powers, to be my knight. He had accepted.

The cherry blossoms are falling from the trees as I write this. I sit in the courtyard, the sunlight streaming down from the heavens upon me. The wind tickles my long hair around my face, the grey tendrils whipping my face as the wind gathers speed.

I can smell jasmine blossoms in the wind. Their sweet, lingering scent so much like my mother's, that it brings tears to my eyes—even though I can't cry.

I get up from the ground. My hair, down to my buttocks, swirls around me in the breeze. 

I open the door of the grand castle, which I once used to get lost in forever. The spiral staircase to the clock tower stretches on endlessly, as I wander the once-splendid halls of this ancient castle.

Sometimes, I wonder what would have happened, had I not lost my parents and brother. Perhaps I would not have gone insane with power.

I glance down at the SeeDs come to destroy me. The black wings on my back flare out as I see everyone who is now long departed from this world. My mother's friends and family.

"SeeD, SeeD, SeeD!" The words come out of my mouth in a slow hiss. "Kurse all SeeD!"

The end.


End file.
